Push
by yolcholl
Summary: Story renamed from Almost Normal to Push. He was insane, but not really, because in the midst of the paranoia and the fear and the voices and Grover, he was still human. And she knew that. She realized that he could still speak and laugh and be. She was almost normal, but they still sent her to a mental health rehab for teens for one...final...push.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

A six year old boy with jet black hair and sea-green eyes pulled a woman along with him on a busy sidewalk of New York City. "Mommy, mommy, _hurry up!_" He yelled, anxious to reach their location.

"Patience, Percy." Sally Jackson soothed, and pulled the young boy closer to her, keeping a tight grip on his arm the whole time "Where do you want to go now?" She asked the boy. She had promised him the whole day to do whatever he wanted with her, and though she was tired and badly needed rest, she would do anything for her six year old.

Percy looked at his mother with what one could call _astonishment, _though the expression was hard to pinpoint on a young child. On another face it may have looked insulting, but on his face it was only cute. He had assumed that his mother had known, of course, where he wanted to go, and was surprised that she didn't. "Ice cweam…" was all he said for her to get the message.

"All right Percy, it's right around the corner." Sally replied, rolling her eyes at her son's antics. She knew that Percy could pronounce his r's, but in order to get more attention from people, he sometimes developed a fake lisp.

Percy looked up at his mom, making sure she was paying attention to him. But a weird image in the corner of his eye, caused him to jerk to a stop and stare straight into the street. He'd seen someone staring at him, and the sight filled him with a foreboding and dread few children his age would know.

"Percy?" Sally stared at him with a confused and worried look. Percy's attention quickly snapped to his mom and then to the waiting sugar around the corner.

"Let's go, let's goooo!" Percy whine started again, pulling his mother's arm in the direction of the shop. Sally followed quietly, baffled at what on the road could have held Percy's attention for more that ten seconds. Sometimes, she couldn't entertain the ADHD boy for half that long.

The mother and son couple rounded the corner and entered the shop. "Alright Percy, stay here while I go get the ice cream." Sally said, depositing the boy into an empty booth and walking towards the line up.

Percy fidgeted in his seat impatiently, and after a few minutes he looked up to see his mother in a long line-up. It seemed like every child in New York wanted ice cream right now.

"Hi!" an eager voice beside him shocked him out of his thoughts, and he looked to see a boy a little big older than him with small horns sticking out of his curly brown hair. That wasn't the only strange thing about the figure though. The strange thing about the figure was that he had no shirt on, and where his legs should be...where his legs should be….

"It's not nice to stare..." The boy said matter of factly. Though it seemed as if he had no idea what was wrong with him. Percy looked at the boy in wonder, speechless. Because where his legs should be were long furry goat legs that ended in hooves.

"You're a satyr..." He whispered, enchanted. He was proud that he remembered what his teacher had taught him a few days ago.

"Yup, my names Grover, I'm here to help you!" The satyr replied, just as mysteriously, if not a bit louder.

"That's cool." Percy said, easily accepting Grover's reply. After a few moments though, his curiosity got the best of him and he asked, "Why do I need help?"

"Aren't you scared? People are _after you_, Percy." Grover stated, as if it were his duty to tell him.

Percy wasn't as disturbed or surprised at the news as any other child would be. He seemed to accept it easily, like he accepted Grover's presence. Maybe it was because Grover spoke as if he knew everything in the world - like many of the older kids at Percy's school. He didn't get to ponder on this thought because his mom had come and handed him his ice cream.

"Excuse me dear," his mom said, "I need to go to the washroom quickly. Stay. Here." His mother stated, with a look that told Percy she wasn't kidding. He was surprised she didn't greet Grover - she usually was very friendly towards kids.

"Don't eat the ice cream, Percy, or you'll die." Grover said, emphatically.

"That's not true…" Percy replied, but he knew that Grover was right. It was a feeling in his gut. Still, a six year old couldn't resist, and as he was about to take a little lick, a excruciating pain in his head stopped him. He immediately cried out, causing him to drop the treat onto the ground.

"Oh my God Percy, you almost died." Grover's voice didn't sound as friendly this time. Or even that emotional.

All Percy did was whimper in response, on the verge of crying.

"_Shut up_." Grover hissed. "Don't be a baby, Percy. You know I had to do that. You _couldn't eat it._"

When Percy still didn't respond Grover spoke again. "So let's be friends. I'll help you, okay?"

Still recovering from the pain, Percy didn't reply but instead looked away from Grover. "Okay?" Grover asked more forcefully, a threat in his voice. Percy could feel the pain in his head growing, and quickly replied, "Okay. But don't do that again."

Grover responded with a small shrug, not a yes or no - but a _whatever._

Percy didn't notice the strange whispers in the shop though, directed at him. He didn't notice the other families, or the employees weird looks. As they wondered, why in the world was this little boy talking to himself?


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Annabeth Chase sighed. Again. For about the seventeenth time as the car got closer to the building and to the proclamation of her insanity.

She had begged, pleaded, cried for her dad to change his mind. She wasn't crazy, just misunderstood. Or at least that was what she was telling herself. Her father looked at her in the rear view mirror. He was dreading saying anything to his daughter ever since he found out about what she did. Ever since he saw her in the most vulnerable state. Her eyes red, crying. He knew he was a horrible father. A father who was caught up in his own little world with his wife and family to notice that his teenage daughter wanted to kill herself.

"Annabeth, darling, don't worry they'll help you!" Susan said in that sickly sweet voice of hers. Frederick winced, knowing that anything Susan said to Annabeth would worsen her mood. He was right, of course, because Annabeth snapped back immediately.

"Hopefully, help me forget about you." Was her reply. Her father winced once again, as Susan looked at him to defend her in some way. Ignoring the look, he pretended to be too engrossed in his driving to say anything. The drive continued in a tense silence before Bobby, bless his soul, said probably the worst thing ever.

"Annie-bet? Are you crazy?" His question got the attention from all the people in the car. Both adults were afraid how Annabeth would take the proclamation from her little brother, and watched as covertly as possible.

Surprisingly though, Annabeth took the question well, and responded in a quiet tone. "I don't know..." It was the last things both adults expected her to say, and Susan was about to reply, but Frederick nudged her. No need to drive with an even moodier teenager, especially since they had about 30 more minutes of the car ride.

Annabeth, of course, saw the interaction between both people sitting in the front row. She was glad Bobby came with her, because he was the only member of the family she didn't resent, or even blame for her 'condition'. Her relationship was rocky between her stepmother, her father, and her twelve year old step brother, Matthew (who stayed home from the trip, on the advice of his mother).

She played with her three year old stepbrother for the rest of the trip, while trying to condition herself to be tough. She would walk in there and keep a straight face, nothing in that mental hospital would surprise her at all. She would be...a greaser. She remembered the book _The Outsiders, _and how the Greasers would always have the same tough attitude with everyone they met, while on the inside they could be scared.

Or, she could be Katniss Everdeen, who greeted everything with a cool, collected stare, though, with all of her emotional trauma, she was basically mentally insane on the inside. Which Annabeth was as well. Mentally insane that is.

Finally, they reached their destination. "Goode's Youth Residence Hospital" specifically made to treat teenagers with severe mental disorders. Fun. A surge of panic hit Annabeth, and she considered begging her father again, or waiting until they all got out before locking herself in the vehicle. But, no. If she was going to go to this hospital. She'd do it in dignity.

From the outside the Hospital looked like just that, a regular emergency hospital, but on closer inspection Annabeth realized that is was much larger that an average hospital, and nothing was surrounding the building but other buildings similarly labelled, "Goode's Mental Hospital."

The irony of the name made Annabeth smile wryly. Yes, because everything in the mental institution was definitely 'goode'. What she tried to do to herself was 'goode'. The crazy patients inside that she would meet would be 'goode' as well. She bet that they even had a stupid slogan. Any organization with a name like that can't resist having a stupid slogan.

A smiling man in a wheelchair greeted them at the entrance. He had the fuzzy start of a beard, and was wearing semi-formal clothes - as if his job was a desk one. Annabeth guessed that the man was about 30 years or so, but streaks of white in his beard and bags under his eyes made him look older.

"Welcome to Goode's Youth Residence Hospital! I'm Chiron Brunner, Mr. Brunner to you though!" He said with a sort of forced enthusiasm that was at the same time genuine. Instead of answering, Annabeth just chose to stare at him. No need to be friendly with anyone here, not when she's just planning to stay for a few weeks. Her plan was to fake it. _Say what they want you to say_ was her motto for most of her life, and kept her out of trouble with most teachers and even her parents.

She'd read up on the hospital, almost obsessing over it on the computer. The hospital was created by Zeus Olympia, but the boss of the place was Dionysus Olympia, his son. It was made as a kind of safe haven for teens with trouble adapting to the normal society. Which were fancy words for _kids everyone thinks are crazy. _

You were kept there until one of the doctors approved your leave.

She'd also had a Skype interview with one of the therapist prior to her coming here. They said it was to determine if the hospital could really help her.

"_Annabeth how are yooouuuu?" The doctor had crooned at her. _

"_Fine."_

"_Do you know why you're coming to our hospital?"_

"_I tried to kill myself." _

"_Yes, but what caused you too?"_

"_I was sad."_

_The doctor had sighed, as if disappointed with her. "Depression, sweetheart. Your therapist diagnosed you with it." The therapist she'd seen only once before her father decided it was too expensive. _

"_Alright." She'd said, because the doctor was looking earnestly at her. _

She'd also been required to take a test to decipher her mental well being.

Her father looked at her for a second, wondering if she was going to respond before he responded himself. "Uh, pleasure to meet you Mr. Brunner, I'm Frederick, Annabeth's father." He replied, stretching his hand out for the crippled man to reach. Frederick looked bothered by the fact that Mr. Brunner was in a wheelchair, and did what people tend to do when they see a disabled person. Try to pretend everything's okay, but be way nicer.

Mr. Brunner just smiled, noticing the attitudes and reactions of everyone in the group, but not being bothered by them. His actions uneased Annabeth. How could he be so calm? "And, you must be Annabeth," he said, addressing her, "because he looks a little too small to be having any problems at all." He exclaimed, looking at Bobby, who was being carried by Susan, in the way adults usually talk to desired response came from the toddler in the action of a giggle.

"Can you follow me, Ms. Chase? As for the rest, you can leave now, and don't worry, Annabeth is in safe hands." Mr. Brunner concluded. Frederick looked confused, probably expecting to be briefed on what was happening, or at least follow Annabeth through the tour. But, he didn't say anything about it, only "Um...alright. Be good Annabeth!"

Annabeth though, living up to the rebellious teenage stereotype, ignored her dad; instead she bent down to Bobby, who had recently been deposited on the ground by Susan to wander around. "Goodbye Bobby. You're the only one in the family that I'll actually miss."

Bobby who obviously didn't understand the importance of that sentence, instead only hearing the sentiment, hugged his sister. "Bye, bye, Annie." He muttered.

Her parents left quickly after that, dragging Bobby away, probably realizing that the boy might throw a tantrum about his sister's absence.

Annabeth turned around to see Mr. Brunner looking at her with an eyebrow raised. He evidently must have heard what she'd said to her brother. "Alright Ms. Chase, I'm sorry that you're parents had to leave quickly, but some patients are, let's say, anxious about new presences. Please hand me any electronic items you might have on you." He looked at Annabeth's incredulous face before saying, "It's part of the therapy, limited access to the outside world."

Biting her lip, Annabeth handed him her phone, but, as an act of defiance, kept her iPod. Mr. Brunner might have known that Annabeth was keeping something from him, but didn't call her out on it. Instead he led her to the elevator and showed her to her to her room, on the third floor at the end of the hall. Room number 307.

She entered the room to be surprised by the white. Almost every single object was white, or closely related to the shade. "For today, you're dinner will be in your room, as for your breakfast tomorrow, because as I said, some patients are uncomfortable around new presences. You'll be introduced at group therapy tomorrow after breakfast. Your schedule for the week is on the desk. Please, Ms. Chase, refrain from leaving your room at all tonight. Some members can be dangerous if provoked." Mr. Brunner said, as if rehearsed, from the door. He tried to sound lighthearted and bright, but some of the things he said weighed heavily on him, as if he wished that the patients weren't dangerous, and people could frolic as they wished around these halls.

He left after briefly explaining to Annabeth that she was in therapy group number three, and all the members lived down the same hallway.

Annabeth locked the door behind her, and explored her new habitat. The bed was in the centre of the room, with white sheets and a white comforter. She noticed that the sheets on the bed were strongly fastened to it, and the desk on the left of it, bracing the wall had no sharp edges. _Nice to know that you trust me so_ she thought. And, with childhood giddiness, smiled when she noticed she'd rhymed.

She used that as a reassurance that the she didn't really have depression. _I can still smile. _

Next, she checked out the desk - briefly noticing with little interest that it was white too, instead of the regular brown. On it were two pieces of paper: her schedule and a map showing all the hospitals facilities. At her first glance, Annabeth realized that her schedule was uniquely made for her - not including any other groups lunch or therapy meetings, and even her individual therapy. She didn't know whether to be annoyed or scared that they cared so much.

_8:00 - 10:00 Breakfast (required - all groups)_

_10:30 Annabeth Chase - Individual Therapy (Once a week, required)_

_11:00 Group Therapy #3 Meets (required)_

_12:00 Art Room Opens (optional meetings)_

_1:00 Lunch - Groups 1-5 (required)_

_2:00 Music Room Opens (optional meetings)_

_6:00 Art Room Closes_

_7:00 Dinner - Groups 1-5 (required)_

_8:00 Music Room Closes_

_10:00 Bed_

The map showed locations of all the places mentioned in the schedule, but she was too tired to study it. Instead, she lay down on her bed and plugged in her earphones and played a song that she likes to imagine applied to her.

_When she was just a girl, she expected the world_

_But it flew away from her reach, so she ran away in her sleep._


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Annabeth woke up feeling surprisingly lightweight. As if everything in the past week hadn't happened. As if her life wasn't the complete mess it was now. The euphoria lasted only seconds, ending abruptly when she saw a tray filled with definitely cold macaroni and cheese discarded on a white desk next to her.

She had assumed that someone would knock, and when she didn't answer, leave her dinner outside her door. No such luck though, they must have seen her ipod, because she hadn't tried to hide it in any way.

A thought occurred to her then. She was certain that she had locked the room's door before she fell asleep. She crept up to it now, as if someone else was going to pop up out of the door and, while it was still locked, tried to open it.

Unsurprisingly, the door opened with ease. _Why do they even pretend it's locked? To give people a false sense of security?_ Annabeth thought, as she peeked through the door into the hallway. Everything looked exactly the same as last night, except not as gloomy as she presumed it to be.

She pondered the thought of going outside and exploring a little bit, but quickly removed it from her mind when she remembered what Mr. Brunner had said. _Some members are wary of strange presences, and are violent if provoked. _Even if she'd tried to kill herself, her self- preservation hadn't completely disappeared.

So she lay down sprawled on her bed, feeling a sort of calm that she knew came before the storm that was life. She'd have to get up and talk to people and do things - stuff she found pointless and utterly exhausting. Stuff she had given up on her old life.

To add to the peaceful tranquility she had in her brain then (A break she rarely got from the constant turmoil), Annabeth played a song she considered her personal anthem. Though it suggested dark themes, the reality of it spoke to her, and surprisingly calmed her down more.

"_One more spoon of cough syrup now, ooh_

_I'm losing my mind, losing my mind, losing control, oooh."_

She lay there in a trance for a while before someone knocked on her door. She quickly shoved her Ipod under her pillow, straightened herself up, and ran to open it.

The lady behind it looked _too happy, _as if she's forgotten she worked at this hospital, and instead thought she was taking a vacation on a cruise ship. She was holding up a tray of bacon and scrambled eggs, with a fruit cup at the side. "Breakfast is here!"

Annabeth immediately felt wary of her. She reminded her of Susan when her dad told them to 'get along'.

Annabeth gave her a small smile. Best to be polite if she wanted to get out of here fast.

**Percy.**

The day started off normal enough. Wake up, go to the cafeteria for breakfast, sit with Thalia, watch Thalia flirt with Luke, scare new doctors, etc., etc. Go to group therapy, and sit criss cross applesauce on the floor in the same spot in a circle. Pretend I'm not crazy - pretend I'm _really crazy. _Chat with Grover, and so on.

But, group therapy was where it got interesting. There was a new girl there.

When I first looked up at her I noticed that she was _beautiful. _IT wasn't those love at first glance type of things. I definitely didn't love her, but she was beautiful. Not _pretty_, like Drew from group ten, or even like Piper. Beautiful - a hidden asset.

My second glance at her gave me the impression that she just _didn't care_. She was wearing sweatpants and a baggy shirt, her hair was barely combed, her lips were chapped, and she looked perpetually tired. She looked as if she hated the unwanted attention, and she gave their group therapist, Luke, a hard glare when he made her stand up in the middle of the circle and introduce herself.

Of course, when Luke was introducing her to us, Grover chose to show up.

"I don't like her. I hate her. I _abhor_ her." He was frowning, looking unnaturally frustrated. For some reason, what he said annoyed me.

"Nice word choice. You don't like anyone." I muttered, trying to pay attention to what Luke was saying.

"That's not true. I like you. I'm helping you."

_He's helping you._

_Be a little more grateful, Percy._

"Getting me into this place is classified as help?" I knew I was pushing it, so I stared straight ahead and tried to keep my words nonchalant.

Grover just gave me a small smile. A smile that both scared me and excited me. A crazy smile, you could say. I saw that smile everyday when I looked in the mirror.

_Say sorry say sorry say sorry say sorry._

"Sorry."

"That's what I thought."

At the front of the room, someone cleared their throat. I looked up to find that all ten members of my group therapy were staring at me - including the new girl.

"Is something wrong, Percy? Between you and Grover?" Luke said in a sickly sweet concerned voice that I hated.

_SHUT UP. SHUT UP. SHUT UP._

"No. Sorry. What are we doing?"I shook my head to clear my clouded brain - trying to get all the noises out. Luke gave me a doubtful look, but did not push. The unspoken rule about group number three is _do not push. _

"We were introducing Annabeth to ourselves. We were stating our name, and something interesting about ourselves..." I tried not to snort, but I did anyways. Our therapy sessions were becoming more and more like a kindergarten classroom.

Annabeth was looking at me with what I perceived as mild interest mixed with fear. It didn't improve my mood.

"Hello Annabeth. My names Percy, and Grover doesn't like you." I gave her a big smile.

Annabeth, looking confused and thoroughly convinced I was crazy, sat down in the spot between Leo and Thalia. Not a good choice. Leo was muttering things under his breath and twitching involuntary. Thalia was looking amused.

Luke though, was staring straight at me. He looked mad that I didn't do a better job in my introduction. "Percy. We said one interesting fact about you, not about Grover." He said, then stepped into the centre of the circle of crazy people, and we officially started group therapy.

By now, Grover had disappeared. He had never liked group therapy sessions.

"Now, let's start the session as we always start it. We'll go around and state why were here!" Luke liked to do this - God knows why. Maybe it was some state of the art therapy trick. Maybe once we state why were here, our prayers will be answered - our minds will be cured!

I zoned out of the usual 'drugs, anger issues, anxiety, kleptomania...' until they got to Annabeth.

"Urm...depression?" she looked as if she was unsure of her diagnosis.

I don't know why I did this - _yes I do know why, it was to get her attention - _but I coughed into my hand. Something stupid - about that not being a real mental illness.

Luke's eyebrows raised, but he didn't try to contradict me in any way. He left that to Annabeth, who glare had intensified and looked thoroughly ready to chew me out.

"That's not true." Annabeth stared at me, "you really know nothing about me." She wasn't shy per-se. It was more like she just didn't _want _to talk. Her words were stilted, and she had to clear her throat a few times.

Luke interjected. "So tell us about yourself, Annabeth. What caused your depression? Why _are you_ here?" So that's where he was going with this, he was using our argument to get her to open up about herself.

"Never mind." She muttered. "Never mind."

Luke looked disappointed, but didn't push.

**Annabeth.**

After group therapy was a singular therapy, one on one, once a week. Then free time, then lunch. Solo therapy was easy enough. It was only Chiron explaining the hospital and how it works, saying that we had time for the deep stuff later. I spent all my free time listening to songs on my ipod before its battery died.

I cried - I'm not sure what about. The thing about depression is that all of a sudden sadness swallows you up and you start realizing how much your life _sucks. _

Lunch was interesting enough, I'd gotten lost several times before seeing kids from my therapy and following them silently, joining the line, and picking up food.

I sat down by myself at a table in the corner. Five minutes later three other people joined me at the table. They were all from my group therapy class. A redheaded girl whose name I don't remember, the really angry chick, and the crazy green eyed one. I knew his name. It was Percy. I glared at him as soon as he sat down.

The angry chick pouted and made kissy faces at us. "Awww, don't be angry at Percy, depressed chick. He was just in a bad mood. Didn't you see his argument with Grover?"

"Yeah," Percy smirked. "I have a condition you know. I'm crazy." He looked the exact opposite of crazy, which made me wonder if it just came and went in fits.

"Or maybe," The redheaded girl started, "We're all normal, and the regular people in the real world are the ones who are crazy?" Her voice was small, but she refused to look at me - making it clear that she was only talking to the two beside her.

"Stop being deep, Rachel. We only keep you with us for your looks."

"Why are you sitting here?" I interjected. The three spoke quickly to each other, as if I weren't even there.

Thalia and Percy's eyes darkened. Percy started muttering to himself quietly and quickly. "I don't know. I don't know. Grover doesn't like you, why am I here?" He looked at Thalia startled, as if he'd just figured something out.

"Yeah, but were just going to forget about Grover right now, okay?" Rachel spoke in a comforting voice, as if she'd dealt with crazy Percy before.

Percy shook his head quickly, and as if just realizing I was there, looked up at me. Trying not to lose my nerve, I gave a half-hearted glare his way.

"Cool it blondie." Thalia's voice was razor sharp, which reminded me that she was at this hospital for her anger issues. It wouldn't do me good to get on her bad side. "Were trying to be friends with you. So, let's be friends?"

"Yeah, okay?" I murmured. Percy, who'd perhaps gotten over his sudden spout of crazy - gave me a smile. Not the large crazy smiles usually seen on his face, but a smile one. I decided, for once in my life, to smile back.

**Percy. **

I felt bad. I felt bad that I freaked Annabeth out, because she seemed nice. I wanted to go over there and sit at her table. I liked her. She looked lonely. Then I freaked her out by being crazy.

Thalia said it's okay cause after she forced Annie to be friends with us. Thalia's really good at forcing people to do things. Not as good as Piper, but still.

After lunch is just a bunch of free time. I head back to my room. Not surprisingly, Grover is there.

"Hey Percy. Wassup?" I give him a strange look.

"Definitely not your lingo. Were you here the whole time?" I jumped onto the mattress carelessly, watching him sit at my desk.

I guess I should explain my relationship with Grover. He's been here for a long time. Since I was six. He's my best friend. He looks out for me. He makes sure that I'm safe. That's really all. He's kind of like a cool parent.

No one else can see Grover. That doesn't mean he's not real. He certainly feels real.

"No," Grover responded, "I stopped by the cafeteria for a while." His cool voice told me something was wrong.

_I sat with Annabeth. _

My hand froze mid motion to grab my sketchbook and pencil. I sat up on the bed.

"Oh, really?" My hands started to shake, I hid them underneath the bed.

"I saw something you did that was naughty, Percy." His voice sounded cheerleader preppy.

My hands trembled harder. I tried to make my voice level and calm, as if nothing had happened. Maybe Grover was bluffing. Maybe he didn't see anything. "And what was that? Eating?"

It was almost embarrassing how afraid I am of something that isn't real.

"You were sitting with the girl. The girl I don't like." The pretense of friendliness left his tone.

"You didn't tell me _not _to." I tried to reason.

"I _really really really really don't like her." _

_HE REALLY REALLY REALLY DOESN'T. _

"Yeah. B-but because she seemed lonely. I d-don't like her but she just looked lonely. She just looked lonely. And Thalia made us sit there."

"That's not true. It was your idea." Grover frowned.

_We told him. It was your idea. _

I mentally cursed. I forgot about them. The little voices in my head.

"Really, Percy? Lying to your best bud, _and_ disobeying? I'm really disappointed in you."

_You're just so naughty today, Percy. _

I made no more excuses, and braced myself for what was coming.

"Just stand up." Grocers voice had no emotion.

I stood up, knowing that disobeying would make it worse. Grover kind of just smiled, and I crumpled to the ground - as if I was hit. Searing pain tore through my mind, intense agony intentionally gave way to numbness, and I hesitantly opened my eyes to see Grover holding a knife.

"I didn't even talk to her." I murmured.

His eyes narrowed.

"She thinks I'm crazy. She doesn't like me. We didn't bond or anything. We just sat down at the table. I promise. _I promise. I promise_." I was rambling now, glad that I was given a chance to explain.

Grover dropped the knife onto the ground. And raised his right hand again. I flinched hard. But he was making a familiar gesture with me, his pale pinky sticking out.

"Pinky promise?" He was grinning.

I sighed with relief, and made the same gesture as his, locking out pinkies together. "Pinky promise." I responded.


	4. Chapter 3

**Ok**_**, A lot of people are getting sad because they think Grover is the bad guy but trust me don't think of Percy's hallucination as the PJ Grover, think of him as a violent hallucination caused by schizophrenia that just so happens to have the same name and physical qualities as Grover.**_

**Chapter 3**

**Annabeth.**

About a week later, unfortunately, a routine for me in the mental hospital fell into place. Most of time I go into the 'rec' room. That's where they keep the electronics were allowed to use. There are two computers, one xbox, and one television, as well as a bookshelf full of books. The xbox has lame games, the computer has no internet, and the television doesn't have cable. The books aren't interesting, but they keep my mind of things.

I've surprisingly made friends. Thalia turned out to be really cool (though sometimes really intense).

Percy hasn't talked to me since my first day at lunch, though he's in the rec room very often. The day after, he looked rather pale, and avoided me at all costs. Now he just doesn't acknowledge my presence. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Behind the crazy, he seems like a pretty nice dude. Don't get me wrong. I'm not starting to enjoy myself here. I'm just looking for things, or people, to numb the pain.

Rachel still refuses to look at me.

They started giving me pills to take. Twice a day. Once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, supposedly they fought depression. I asked Thalia if I should take them, and she'd hesitated. She only nodded numbly in answer.

The hospital has this 'trust system'. They didn't monitor if you were taking the medication they gave. They just assumed if you wanted to get better you would. I think that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, and the fact that most people in this youth hospital either throw out their medication, or sell it to teenagers who are here trying to get clean, proves me right.

I decide to start collecting the medication they give me, just in case I feel like killing myself.

Today is visiting day. Apparently, once a month, they _do_ allow family members or guests in here. I'm not sure if I want my dad to come or not. On one hand, I might get to see Bobby again, but on the other hand, i might see my parents again. I guess I'll just wait and see.

Visiting day starts at two in the afternoon. All activities for the day are cancelled because of it, so I slept in, and now I have two hours to kill before it starts.

Of course, I go to the rec room. It has become some sort of a "safe haven" for me. As stupid as this sounds, my room feels suffocatingly empty. Even if I don't talk to anyone in the rec room, at least there's the quiet sound of Percy's soft sketching (he draws every time he's in there) or a computer game playing.

As expected, Percy's in there, drawing.

"Hi." I murmur in his general direction, testing my luck. At first, I don't think he hears me, and considers saying it again.

Before I've made up my mind though, Percy grunts a _hi _back to me.

"Why do you hate me?" I was never one to mince words.

He looks up at me, surprised. "Grover doesn't like you." His reason sounds a lot saner than the last time he said it.

"Grover's your imaginary friend, right?" He shrugs, looking back down to sketch again. "What are you drawing?"

Instead of answering verbally, he leans over to let me see his sketchbook from where I am perched on the couch. All he is drawing is a simple flower. But somehow, it's more than that. I can't explain it, but somehow, I can feel the emotions that that dark flower is giving off. Somehow, I can see his insanity from that one picture. It makes me feel strange, and for a second I look away. I feel uncomfortably looking at a piece of his soul, like I'm somehow invading his privacy.

Percy took it differently. "You don't like it?" He asks, looking hurt.

"It's really nice." I say, and I'm not lying, though I'm trying to reassure him.

"It's just _really nice. _" He mocks me, and thats when I get that he's joking. It's a refreshing change from his usual sullen demeanor. I swat him on the arm and we fall into a strangely comfortable silence, as if we hadn't just met.

**Percy.**

Annabeth is sitting there, just watching me draw - in her regular sweatpants and t-shirt. Grover is in the corner, watching us, but I pretend he's not there.

We sit there silently for maybe an half an hour before she asks me another question. She says it very quietly at first, but spoke up when I didn't hear her.

"Can you draw Grover for me?"

It would be an understatement if I said I wasn't surprised. My eyes flicker to Grover for a second. He's giving me a warning look.

"I've draw him already." I answer shortly.

"Can I see it?" She looks expectant, and a ghost of a smile is present on her lips.

"He won't let me, um, show people." I mutter. It sounds dumb when I say it like that, like Grover is my mother or something.

"Oh." She replies again. I feel like she doesn't know what to say. I still feel a need to explain. For some reason, I wanted her to speak.

"But…" I hesitate. "I can still describe him to you... " She perks up immediately, like a little girl just told she could get ice cream or something. It makes me smirk a little. She glares at my pleased face and whacks me on the arm. The second time in an hour.

"Ouch," I grin at her, "you sure you're not in here for violence?" She whacks me once more for good measure before prompting me.

"So…" She asks, obviously trying not to push. "Are you gonna describe him to me?"

"Oh, yeah." I frown a little, trying to describe Grover in an unbiased light. "Um...he's a satyr." Annabeth's eyes widened but she didn't say anything. "Yeah. With the hooves and everything. And he has curly goat hair with two tiny goat horns sticking out of it. He's cool most of the time. He's usually sort of witty. Only I can see him, of course."

I waited for Annabeth to answer.

"Okay...cool. But I don't feel like I know him personally. Tell me some past experiences you've had with him."

I was surprised Annabeth was so interested. This far into getting to know me, most people don't say anything about Grover, probably worried about calling him "fake" and ticking me off.

"Why do you need to know him personally?"

"Because I want to be your friend." Was her simple reply, in her regular unemotional tone.

"Alright…" I think hard. "One time, we blew up a school bus..."

"Nevermind. I don't really want to hear of your criminal escapades. How about... how about tell me how you got here...to this hospital?"

"Why do you want to know so much about me all of a sudden?" I ask, defensively.

"You're more sane than you look." All pretense of the quiet soft-spoken girl gone.

"I'll tell you another time then, when it's not just half an hour till visiting." I glance at the clock pointedly.

"Oh yeah, that's today." Annabeth sighs, "I guess I should go get ready."

I raise my eyebrow up, confused about what 'get ready' meant to the girl who recently decided to wear pajamas to group therapy.

She only stuck her tongue out at me.

"Bye...friend." I yell out, as the door shut behind her.

I draw for a few more minutes before I notice that Grover is back, or was here the whole time - it's hard to know with him. I smile nervously at him.

"Having fun with your _friend." _He spits at me.

"C'mon Grover, I've had friends before, you've never truly hated them." There's a few seconds of silence before Grover answers.

"I. Don't. Like. Her." He replies.

"You don't like anyone. Please, Grover she's cool. She doesn't care that I'm..._me_." My words are reckless, but desperate enough that they just might work.

Sure enough, I'm right. "Fine. Have fun with your new friend." He glares at me, before stalking out of the room, obviously upset.

I try to go back to drawing. It was the only thing that actually stabilizes me when my mood changes drastically. In this case from pleased (_with Annabeth), _to sad, or hurt.

But drawing was second-best in my life. First is Grover. It's always been Grover.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

**Annabeth.**

Visiting day was horrible. It was as if the fates were against our whole group of friends. Everyone we didn't want to show up did. Everyone we didn't even consider would show up did. And it all started with one little message.

"Attention _everyone!_" That was Dionysus, a short balding man with many loud shirts. We were all gathered at the very front of the hospital living areas for visiting day. Tables, decorations, and refreshments were set up, as if it would draw attention away from the sullen teens in the centre. "Before our monthly visiting day starts, let me tell you we've made a few changes to things." The crowd of mumbling teens snapped attention to the front. The look Dionysus was giving us wasn't exactly reassuring.

"We've noticed that attendance at these events are...lacking." That was an understatement, Thalia told me total attendance at these things were about 2-3 new families, and after about a month or so, they just stop coming. "So, we've sent out a mass email about it." Some people frowned, most people weren't worried.

"And, called your home phones." Dionysus smirked a little at the growing fear on people's faces. No one wanted their parents to come. No one wanted their family to know what they've become.

"And may have also called it 'mandatory' and 'part of the treatment'" He grinned evilly. "We also got RSVP's, most of your parents are coming."

A huge groan filled the room, and muttering ensued. There was a lot of swearing towards Mr. D. Chiron cleared his throat and concluded with, "And so, let us open our doors."

As staff went to open the doors and welcome people, Rachel hid under the table. She has extreme anxiety, and literally had to be dragged screaming to this room. Now though, she had been reduced to shaking whimpering mess underneath the tables.

We went to sit under the table with her, and Thalia and Percy told us why they weren't worried at all about their family coming.

"My dad, he's very important. Never met him." Percy grunted shortly. Thalia just grinned, pointed at Percy, and agreed with a 'ditto'.

"As for you kiddo," Thalia grinned down at me, "you better get out there and see your parents!"

I peeked around one of the poles holding the table up to see my family. My entire family, including Matthew. I considered asking Thalia how she knew it was them, but decided against it, and - reluctantly, stood up to greet them.

Susan and my dads face had plastered fake smiles on their faces (though on the inside they were probably wondering why their daughter had just stepped out from under a table). Bobby was on Susan's shoulder, looking drowsy - but quickly got excited again when he saw me. Matthew tried to assume the pose of a bored teenager, but I knew he was interested by the way he kept glancing at everyone.

Playing along, I too plastered a smile onto my face, and took Bobby from off of Sue's shoulder. I would have just walked back to my friends under the table with Bobby in tow if my father hadn't said anything.

He cleared his throat and started… "Annabeth, hi! How's your treatment going?"His voice sounded high and cheery. I shrugged in response, honestly unsure what he wanted me to answer with. _Great? He wanted me to say my experience at the mental hospital was great?_

"Uh, are you making friends?"

I nodded, afraid to say anything. Afraid that as soon as I opened my mouth the anger I was feeling would bubble up and explode. Susan, getting exasperated, cut in. "How about we meet your friends?" Her voice was sugary sweet. "You do have friends, right honey?"

I fought back the urge to sass her back and simply nodded again. Turning around, I led them to the table they were sitting under.

As soon as Rachel saw my parents behind me, she drew her knees up, hid her face in it, and started shaking violently. My parents, behind me, pretended not to notice. Matthew though, blatantly stared at her. I hit him at the side to get him to stop. "These are my friends. That's Thalia, Percy, and Rachel." Percy and Thalia nodded and 'supped'. I smirked at how awkward it got. Susan and my dad actually seemed afraid of them.

"You're brother's cute." Percy said. I smiled and, pretending my parents weren't there, coaxed Bobby from behind my legs. Susan audibly gasped when she saw Bobby go to Percy.

Percy and Bobby hit it off immediately after that. It surprised me how gentle Percy could be with children, and even Thalia refrained from cursing.

...

Me, Susan, and my dad walked off to a corner - claiming they wanted to talk to me alone, leaving Bobby there with my friends, and Matthew to just wander. We sat down at a remote table in the corner of the room. "So, let's talk Annabeth. Do you think your getting any better by being here?"

"Well, it's better than being in the house." I replied, doing that thing where my voice goes monotone. Thalia calls it _Siri Annabeth. _ Susan, who until now was watching Bobby carefully (probably afraid of one of my mentally challenged friends would hurt him), snapped back to attention.

"What's that supposed to mean, Annabeth?" She said, all pretense of previous cheerfulness forgotten. Now replaced by a hostile voice. Not exactly angry, but getting there.

I sighed before answering. "Never mind, if this is going to become an argument, you might as well just leave." I wasn't in the mood for one, which is why I've held back the thousands of things I've thought about saying as soon as I laid my eyes on the two.

"Now, what's that supposed to mean?" Obviously, Susan wasn't afraid to raise her voice in public. "We've been nothing but supporting through all of this...your depression certainly hasn't changed your attitude."

"You guys made my life miserable." Susan opens her mouth to talk again, but I barrel through. "I find myself sobbing into my bed every night because of you. I find myself begging for God to kill me already. And when He wouldn't, I grew so tired that I tried to myself. Don't talk to me about helping me, about being grateful, you destroyed me, then abandoned me here."

Everything I've never dared to say to anyone I threw out of my mouth. My voice was still controlled, but I could feel hidden emotion.

I wiped my eyes ferociously, until they were dry. I hated people seeing my being weak, even my friends. Then, stood up and hurried over to Thalia's side. I hoped she wouldn't notice my red eyes, but it was obvious that she did. She pretended not to.

She had stood up from under the table and was holding Matthew's wrist. When I came over she pushed him over to me, and surveyed him like he was trash. Not caring what he did, not caring what had happened, I dragged him over to my parents and asked, or demanded, for them to leave.

I dared not look them in the eye, for fear of another wave of weakness to hit me. Percy came over and handed Bobby back to Susan, who flinched when his hands came near her.

Then, I met with Rachel under the table, assumed her position, and sobbed. Loud wracking sobs only muffled by my clothes. If i'd have looked up I would have seen that it wasn't only me. If i'd have looked up I'd have heard the yelling and crying coming from everywhere. But I didn't, and pretended I was invisible under the table, ignorant to Thalia's pats of comfort, and even ignorant to when they stopped.

I didn't look up even when Percy gently took my hand and led me to my bedroom. I didn't stop when I laid on my bed and he waited patiently on the floor. I stayed there, unsuspecting to anything around me. And that's why I didn't notice when he stood up and turned the lights off, and left.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Thalia.

My mother had come to the event. She had stumbled in, already slightly drunk. Annabeth had gone off with her parents, and Percy was still playing with her little brother. I was trying to coax Rachel to say hi to Bobby when I spotted her.

I would like to say I marched up to her. I would like to say I yelled at her and asked her why the hell she had the audacity to show up here. Why the hell she thought she had the right to show up here. To ask her why the hell she still considered herself my mother. But I didn't. I hid, like a coward. I stayed underneath the table with Rachel and prayed that they didn't see me.

It was the first time in years that I'd backed away from a fight.

They were looking for me. She started talking to Chiron, who started asking around after me. No one noticed me quietly sitting under the table. When they asked Percy, he quickly realized what was going on and played dumb. She started becoming more and more frustrated until she was making a scene. No one noticed though, because everyone was making a scene. She was, for once, not the only screaming person in the crowd.

Eventually, she left. I stilled my heavy breathing, and pretended nothing had happened. I went back to trying to calm down Rachel, and eventually trying to comfort Annabeth.

Because at this point, I was used to it. At this point, I was incapable of breaking down and sobbing like Annabeth did. I was incapable of even shedding a tear as I saw the woman that once took care of me walk out, a drunken mess, into the streets.

Percy.

We don't speak of it. Visiting day, I mean. It's only been a morning after and I already know that we don't speak of it. We don't speak of Annabeth breaking down, or Thalia's mother. Maybe, some part of me had hoped that someone would come for me. That I would have someone to make a scene with, or hide from. I don't know. It might have been fun.

With Grover mad at me, everything is getting worse. I haven't seen him in maybe a day, and I'm already more on edge. I've started seeing things. Sometimes I see things really scary. Sometimes I cry in a corner and murmur to myself. "It's not real, it's not real, it's not real…" I constantly feel like I'm being watched. I constantly feel that someone is going to jump out and murder me. I've got it in my head that it's because Grover stopped talking to me. Grover stopped protecting me from them because he got mad at me. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I have perpetual headaches. The only thing I feel like doing is drawing. I'm getting desperate. I need Grover.

Thalia.

I can't talk to Percy. He's in one of his moods. He's delusional. I don't need delusional right now. Right now I'm lying in my bed wondering how my anger didn't take control of me last night. It's been a long time since I've been scared. I'm usually the one doing the scaring. I'm trying to fathom how I didn't get up to put my mother in a choke hold. I'm trying to understand how people didn't pull me off of her. I'd fantasized about it. Sick, but satisfying for an emotionally unstable person like me. Am I getting soft? Is that a bad thing, or a good thing?

I feel utterly trapped in this room. My breathing gets heavier laying here, and I start to hear an uninvited pant in my breaths. Chiron says that I use aggression to deal with overwhelming emotions. He's not wrong. One of my usual coping methods is punching something over and over again. Tonight, I did just that. I hit the wall next to me with my fist until the pain left and I just felt numb.

I hit that wall until Rachel came over, from the room next to me, and pulled my fist apart, showing me the wounds on my knuckle, and I collapsed into her, sobbing.

Percy.

When Grover comes back, I try hard to control my excitement. I had a headache. There were people talking in my head. I was rocking in a corner, trying not to cry. When the nurse came asking why I was absent from breakfast, I snapped at her. I could feel their presence near me. People were coming to take me away, to kill me. And then he was there.

I was so happy. my mood swung from low to high, and I felt as if nothing could touch me, or hurt me. Not with Grover here.

The problem was, he still looked angry at me. "Grover…" I tried.

"Why aren't you hanging out with your new best friend?"

"Grover, please." I'm desperate. "Help me please. You're my best friend. Please. Please. They're here right now. Help me get rid of them. They're watching me, please Grover."

"You're my lifeline." Because it was true. There was no way I could imagine myself living without Grover.

Grover's eyes turned softer. "I'm here to help you, Percy. Why did you send me away?"

You sent him away. You monster.

"I'm sorry, please. I can't take it anymore." I start breathing harder, hyperventilating.

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'M sorry I'M SORRY

"I thought you didn't need me anymore."

"I do need you...please." I whimper. I can see them getting closer. I can hear their heavy footsteps pounding towards the door to my room. They're going to kill me. I know that they're going to kill me.

"Okay." That one utterance made me look up at him. He looked like his normal self. Confident, back in control. He was going to help me, and that's all that matters. "Get the knife."

"The knife, of course, the knife." I mutter. I stand up from the corner and reach under my mattress for the knife. The knife that i'd bought from the Stolls a few months ago, just in case. It'd cost me an arm and a leg, but it was worth it.

I look at Grover, ready to do whatever he says. As long as the voices stop. As long as the headache goes. As long as he can help me.

"You just need to cut yourself, it's that easy."

I look up at him, hesitating. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. On your arm, I think, would be the most effective. Honestly Perce, it's not that hard." He looks so confident that I forget to question him more.

For a second, I'm confused. I remember what Chiron told me to ask. "Why?"

I regret it immediately. Grover's eyes darken, and in my head I hear millions of people, laughing at me. "They won't...recognize you. With your arms all like that. Plus you're replacing the pain, so that, your headache will go." I furrow my eyebrows.

"Unless, of course, you want me to go again. It's really all scientific Perce. Don't you trust me?"

Obviously he's right, dummy. You really don't trust your best friend?

I feel ashamed. Of course Grover was right. But still…

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

We lock fingers. And I, holeheartedly trusting in Grover, move to draw thin lines of blood from my skin.

Annabeth.

I did not have time to stay in bed and sulk over my breakdown. My thin haze of indifference to everyone and everything around me had broken yesterday, and I was determined to never let that happen to me again. Everyone that I felt comfortable hanging around (Thalia, who had quickly become at least a confidant) and everyone I was trying to get to know (Percy, who was still kind of scary to me) had decided to stay in there rooms this morning. No one was in the recreation room after breakfast.

No such luck for me though. I had individual therapy with Chiron first thing. It took maybe 10 minutes to care enough to get out of bed.

...

As I entered the room, Chiron looked ecstatic. His first words came out immediately I sat down, he didn't even wait for me to look remotely interested before speaking.

"Ms. Chase, I do believe we've already made an improvement."

"What?" I was still slightly asleep.

"I'm speaking of, of course, the expression of emotion last evening?"

"You mean when I broke down crying." I gave him an baffled look.

"Ah, there it is again. With this kind of progress you'll be out of here in no time."

His giddy excitement unnerved me, so I settle for glaring at him.

Finally, it occur to him that he's done something wrong. "Oh, dear Annabeth. Excuse me for my lack of sympathy. You must be so confused..."

Instead of replying, I settle for staring at him. The therapy should be starting any minute now.

"Depression is, for a lack of better words, an absence of care. You have no will to do anything anymore. You don't care about anything or anyone. You have no more desire to live. So, when a patient with depression as severe as yours shows great emotion, whether positive or negative, it's a step in the right direction."

"So you want me to cry?" Though his description of how I feel is extremely accurate. "That's great. I cry all the time." I retort with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"No, Annabeth. I want you to feel. That's why you used to cut yourself, right?" I glance down at my arm self consciously. When he sees I have no response for him he continues by handing me a piece of paper and a pen. "Here, Annabeth, I want you to write things that make you happy. This is your lifeline."

I stare at the paper for at least two minutes before writing something. Chiron peeks over the table to see it. "Your little brother. I could see the sort of connection you two had yesterday."

"I can't really think of anything else." I mutter.

"This is a list of things that will keep you alive, Annabeth. Things that will help you through your depression."

I don't write anything else down.

"Okay," Chiron frowns a little, "how about we broaden the topic a little bit. Write down things that make you feel. Any emotion, as long as you feel one."

I still refuse to write anything down, and settle for glaring at the table separating us. When Chiron sees this, he sighs and says, "This is homework for next week, Annabeth. I want you two write down at least ten-" he hesitates, "alright five things that make you feel something."

I don't realize my time is up until Chiron clears his throat and says quietly, "You may leave now Annabeth."

I quickly stand up and hurry out of the room, as if it's suffocating me.

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Question: How many document pages is good for a chapter? I feel like mine are too short, but sometimes I end it whenever I feel like ending it. Please help...**_


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Percy.

So, Grover's back. And, he's not mad about me hanging out with Annabeth anymore. I think he was just jealous. I guess imaginary friends get jealous too.

Once (a long time ago) I'd had feelings for Rachel, and she had feelings for me (or maybe she'd just felt sorry for me). So, like any normal hormonal teenage boy would do, I kissed her. The problem is, I'm not a normal teenage boy. Long story short, Grover flipped out on me. The next day I went to group therapy with several injuries. Now, Rachel's afraid to even touch me. And that's the story of my first failed romance.

Right now it's group therapy time. I haven't seen Annabeth since last night, and as I walk into the room she clearly avoids my gaze. Plus, instead of sitting in her usual spot, she's sitting at the opposite end of the badly formed circle. I pretend not to notice and walk to my usual spot, beside Thalia.

Thalia glances at my unusual long sleeved shirt, but doesn't say anything about it. I glance at her hastily bandaged knuckles, but don't say anything. That's are group. We never call anyone out on anything. Anything at all.

Luke steps into the centre of the circle to start group therapy. Everything goes as normal as usual until Luke says this, "So, yesterday was visiting day, right? Let's talk about that."

The room of minors that don't normally listen to Luke, and instead tend to whisper and giggle to friends, falls eerily silent. Luke, pretending not to notice the change, continues. "Who wants to start?"

No one speaks up. Who would? Luke still perseveres through the quiet. "Thalia, what about you? Your mom came, and you were nowhere in sight! What's that about?" He sounds unnaturally cheery. I bury my head in my hands at his stupidity. Yes Luke, call out the girl with the anger issues.

Thalia though, keeps an indifferent face. "Yes, Chiron told me she was looking for me. I'd went to the bathroom at that time. Unfortunate timing."

"For thirty minutes?" He asks, suspiciously.

"Yes." That's all she said. She seemed to be taking on a defensive tone in her voice now. Any minute she might snap.

Luke tries again, but this time with a different topic. "What happened to your hand, Thalia?"

"Nothing." She was trying to contain her anger now. The class is watching tensely.

"Are you sure, because it looks..." He trails off when he sees Thalia's expression.

She looks like she's still going to snap so I grab her hand. "Don't do anything you'll regret," I whisper, "count to ten."

She closes her eyes and does just that. Luke pretends nothing happened and moves on.

...

After group therapy I go to the rec room. As always, armed with my sketchpad and pencil, I draw. Annabeth comes in soon after. She looks distressed. Now that I'm sure I won't get in trouble for it, I try to make conversation.

"So...Annabeth." I start.

She looks at me and raises one eyebrow. "Yes?" She speaks, smirking.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm not sure. Depression isn't a real illness, right?" She phrases it as a joke, but I could hear some bitterness in her voice.

I wince. "Yeah, sorry about that. Sometimes I'm a jerk." I trail off.

"Sometimes?" I wince again. After a short pause, she says, "It's okay though, you're forgiven. We're friends now, remember?"

We fall into a comfortable silence. Me, drawing. Her, reading. Subconsciously, I start to sketch Annabeth.

"Percy?" I raise an eyebrow up at her in question. Though we haven't even talked much, I still feel a connection.

"What's up with your...arm?'

I bit my lip and just shrugged.

Annabeth.

I don't know what came over me after Percy shrugged. Maybe it was just my infuriating personality of wanting to know everything. Maybe I was frustrated that Percy had never given me straight answers. Maybe that's why I marched up to the scrawny boy and pushed his right sleeve up.

Surprisingly, he didn't resist. What I saw on his arm almost made me want to throw up. Unbandaged scars littered his forearm. Apparently he's used his artistic ability to draw on himself, with a knife. I wasn't sure what the picture was exactly, but that's only because i looked away from him immediately.

Percy.

Is she mad at me? Was my initial thought. My next thought was that she probably thought Grocer was a monster. I spoke quickly to set her straight. "Grover didn't do this to me. I did this to myself."

She sat, and calmed herself before speaking. "Why?"

I shrugged again. Excuse me if I didn't want to tell her my whole life story just yet.

I think that she's mad at me, like genuinely mad, when she gives me a weird smile.

"Hey." She grabs my arm again, but this time softly. I look up at her. She starts to laugh a little as she pushes up the sleeves to her shirt.

I see cuts, straight and hard across her wrists. Not shaky like mine. Uniform. Discipline. They'd all become scabs, though there was evident signs that she was picking at them. It makes me laugh. I don't know why. It should be disgusting. We should be disgusted.

Though the relief that I wasn't the only one, that it was maybe even normal, made me cackle. Annabeth gave me a weird look before joining in with small giggles.

"We're crazy." She admonishes, but she's still grinning. Still holding on to the fact that we were bonding over something so sick.

"We can be crazy together." Is my simple reply. And her smile lessens, but it's still there. When we calm down enough, she asks me another question.

"How did you even get a knife?"

" You pick up tricks when you're here for a while?"

"Wanna see yourself?" I ask her, ultimately changing the topic of discussion, and showing her my half-finished sketch.

She leaned in to see my sketch pad. "I look...sad." She mutters, sobered up.

"Is that a way of insulting my work?" I ask.

"No," she replies, "I mean the way you drew my eyes, it's like I've had years of turmoil and suffering."

"Hate to break it to ya kid, but that's how you usually look. Like life personally has a vendetta against you."

"But the rest of me looks really beautiful?"

"I can only draw what I see. You're like a dull, sullen beauty."

"That's either a horrible compliment, or a horrible insult." She smirks.

"Neither, it's just an observation." I muse over the picture, "Maybe if you smile more?" I tease her.

**_Yes. Done. Finally. Kinda short, sorry. Please review!_**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Annabeth. **

It's lunch now. I carry my tray of lasagna to where Thalia and Rachel are sitting. Percy, who left the rec room so early to get ready for lunch, still hasn't shown up. Thalia blatantly stares at me, while Rachel steals glances when she thinks I won't notice. The silence is unusually tense. I try to come up with something to say, but fall short on words. It's not me that's usually doing the talking. Thalia always likes to talk a lot, and this group perpetually has a 'chill' vibe. Even Rachel usually has a lot to say (to the others, she hadn't worked up enough nerve to actually speak to me yet). Eventually, Thalia speaks up though.

"So, you and Percy have been hanging out a lot together recently." She muses.

I give her a confused look. _Is that why they're refusing to talk to me?_ "Not really." I mutter, and it's true. I've never even known Percy had human emotions, like humour, until yesterday. Our first real conversation was just today. Our other interactions were awkward.

Thalia, not surprisingly, gets mad. "Are you kidding me?" She snorts, derogatorily. "Rachel saw you guys in the rec room. Y'all were talking for a long ass time."

I look at Rachel, but she only ducks her head down, so her eyes were staring at her untouched plate (I've noticed she only eats once I leave the table). I bite my lip, considering how to reply. "We were just talking." I state, proudly. "Why do you care?" I mask the confusion in my voice with indifference.

There's a long pause, in which I consider if Thalia or Rachel could actually be jealous. I guess being in a psychiatric ward doesn't diminish teenage emotions.

Thalia, guessing what I'm thinking, speaks up again. "It's not what you think. It's something else." The aggressive edge in her tone had already diminished. I raised my eyebrows in question.

Thalia smirks at me before answering. I knew it was because I've never had the guts to act annoyed or...anything in front of her. I usually just kept a straight face. She was impressed with this new me. I didn't inform her that I was only outgoing when I was mad, out when my pride was taking a hit. This situation being the latter.

"You know Percy's crazy, Annabeth?" Thalia was blunt. My eyes widened.

"I thought you were his friends…" I trail off, but she answers sharply.

"Yes, we are. But that doesn't mean he isn't completely psycho." I still must've looked really confused because Thalia tried again. This time with a low and sympathetic voice. "This isn't a good place to make friends, Annabeth. This is a horrible place to make friends. When you leave, you'll want no recollection of what happened here. I can say with a hundred percent certainty that once I get out of here, I will never look back." Even Rachel looked up and nodded along with Thalia.

"Well...while I'm still in here I want friends. So, I'm sorry if that bothers you." I mutter in reply, still a little shocked. _Did friendship mean so little here?_

"Annabeth." my head snapped up when I realized it was Rachel speaking. Her voice was quite. "Don't become emotionally attached. This isn't the place. Everything ends with heartbreak."

I nodded, and just as quietly muttered, "Sure, whatever." The conversation was over.

...

**Percy**.

I didn't go to lunch after all. Grover and I were playing a game. He would name something, I would draw it. Easy. Our falling out was forgotten.

Not going to lunch was a bad idea, cause soon Chiron came to check on me. He knocked on my door, and I answered. I had a huge grin on my face, it seemed to unsettle him.

"Percy, is something the matter?"

"Why would anything be wrong? I am perfectly content here in this mental institution...who wouldn't be?"

Ignoring my sarcasm, he tried again. "You missed lunch."

I drop my grin and turn serious. "I had a bad feeling about lunch." I looked at Grover, who nodded, giving me consent to tell Chiron. "Someone's gonna poison mine." I whisper this, in case anyone hears.

Chiron looks troubled. "Why do you think that?"

"Grover told me." I stated, merrily.

Chiron sighs, like he knows he's already lost. "We can't have you going hungry...what would make it better?"

I shook my head so that he understood. If I ate, I would die. I just knew. _I just knew. _

...

The next day we got a surprise. Luke ran up and down the hallway near our rooms at seven in the morning, yelling. "Get up and get ready! If you are in therapy group number 3 get up and get ready! I will meet you in the rec room."

You could honestly hear Thalia from her dorm, cussing like a sailor.

...

Fast forward to one hour later, all ten or so of us were waiting for Luke in the rec room, cranky from being up so early, but at the same time excited. I caught Annabeth's eyes from across the room. _What's going on? _She mouthed. I gave her a shrug and a small smile.

I made sure Rachel was okay next, she was sitting in a corner, next to Thalia. They were speaking softly. Thalia looked like she wanted to punch something. Or someone. I stayed away.

A few minutes later, Luke walked in. Immediately, Thalia burst, her early morning crankiness appearing. "Luke, I swear to God if you don't-"

Luke, thank God, cut her off. "Field trip! Were gonna be heading around New York to some places." The whole crowd buzzed in protest. Rachel looked about ready to cry. "Oh come one guys, you've been cooped up in here with nothing to do for too long. The summer program is quite boring. Any other group would be dying to go out, they'd be so jealous."

The crowd still looked skeptical. Finally Luke sighed in defeat. "Everyone who goes gets twenty-four hours internet privilege." No one protested then, the crowd was satisfied.

Travis, lounging on the couch, spoke up, "Do you think it's a good idea to take us out? We could easily overpower you and next thing you know, you're stripped naked in Central Park and we've run to Canada to escape capture." He gave Luke a grin. "Hypothetically, of course."

"I won't be going alone with with you. Chiron will be going as well." He looked kind of annoyed that they didn't trust him enough to keep track of us by himself.

"Ah, yes. Of course, bring the handicapped man along for the ride, he'll make sure we'll never get away!" Amused grins appeared all over the room.

"Didn't you hear Travis, we can't hurt handicaps, it's like...the law." I added.

He played along, "Gosh dang it you're right Percy," He fake sighed, "you've foiled our evil plot, Luke."

Luke, though he looked exasperated, chose not to comment. "Let's just go. Everyone follow me in a straight line out the door. Chiron will meet us outside and stay at the back of the group."

Everyone snorted at the childishness of this _(what are we five years old?)_, but for once, chose not to be difficult. We all filed out except Rachel and I. She was still stuck in the corner, hyperventilating.

I plastered on my lopsided grin and strut over to her. "We should head out before they leave us," When she still didn't respond I offered her my arm, and said, "Okay?"

She didn't respond for maybe a minute, but I heard her breathing slow quietly. "Alright." She grabbed my arm.

I hadn't done it for a long time, though. Never the less, it did the trick. Her cloudy eyes slowly cleared up, and she took a deep breath.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Percy.**

The morning went surprisingly well. When we first walked out, Luke was basically praying that we wouldn't embarrass him. He was pretty high strung (_Leo I swear to God if you do not put down that caterpillar…) _but now he's been somewhat lax (_Alright, fine Leo. Just don't kill it)_. If it had just been Luke leading us, it may have gone a lot worse. A lot of people in the hospital respected Chiron. Maybe it's the teacher aura he provides, or maybe it's the fact that he's helped so many of us. For whatever reason no one ever really wants to cross Chiron, despite what we joked about in the rec room.

First, we walked down the sidewalk to a soup kitchen. We helped clean up, and Chiron even let us help cook the food. We cut onions as easily as we would cut our wrists. At least that's what Leo said before he started laughing maniacally at his own joke, and Chiron sent him outside until he could calm down. Okay, so maybe the morning wasn't that perfect. But for us, it seemed pretty good.

Luke and Chiron kept trying to hurry us up, but Jason refused to step on a crack or hole in the sidewalk (and took perfectly even steps), and Rachel insisted that Thalia, Annabeth, and I surrounded her on all sides so that she wouldn't be seen (this resulted in a weird kind of shuffle, that was in no way fast).

Another thing that went wrong is that after the soup kitchen, we went to an ice cream store. I hadn't eaten ice cream in ten years. I was convinced that I would go through with it, until I saw the guy that handed me the ice cream. He was about the same age as me, but he looked kept grinning at me weird. No matter how much Thalia called me crazy, and Rachel reassured me it was all in my head, I couldn't get myself to eat some. The guy that gave me it kept watching me, as if waiting for me to eat it too.

I kind of blanked out after that. Thalia said that my hand started shaking, and I threw the ice cream across the room so it hit the wall. When I could focus again, Chiron was almost yelling at the guy who gave me the ice cream. Turns out he did _something _to it. Chiron wouldn't tell me what.

Right now, were walking (shuffling) very slowly down the sidewalk to an orphanage. First a soup kitchen, now an orphanage. I'm pretty sure someone is trying to show us that some people have it worse than us. I don't really think so. Even if they are in an orphanage, or soup kitchen, at least they still have control over their own minds.

As we walk in, Chiron tells us to go mingle with some children. I stand for a while, before going to sit on a beanbag chair in the common room. A little girl struts up to me. The only thing she's wearing is a t-shirt that goes all the way up to her knees. I put on a charming smile. "What's your name, little lady?" I ask, honestly interested. I love kids.

She gives me a huge grin. "Cocoa! I'm five years owd. I'm not a lady." Apparently, she's not shy around strangers.

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Cocoa. I'm Percy." I raise her hand to my lips, and give them a quick peck. Something catches my eye. It's Luke, watching us, making sure nothing's wrong. Even though his worry is justified, it bothers me. I hate people watching me.

My attention snaps back to Cocoa, who's giggling. "That's silly." She mutters, smiling at me. Her smile is infectious. I tickle her. She screams and tries to run away. I let her, but she struts back up to me, and plops herself on my lap. I laugh at her nerve.

"I'm sorry, do you forgive me?" I ask, trying to look serious, but failing miserably.

"Okay I fowgive you." She states, looking adorably angry. "But you better not do that again!" She wags her finger at me. "Ow else." She states.

"Or else what?" I state, as I poise my hands and tickle her lightly.

"Ow else," she yells, as she wiggles in my lap, trying to get away from my hands, "you're going to be in big trouble!" I keep tickling her, laughing as well. I don't remember the last time I've smiled this much without it being for a psycho reason.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN BIG TWOUBLE MISTER." She screams, giggling. I stop tickling her, and she smacks me in the face. My eyes get comically big and I gasp.

"You've hurt me. I'm wounded." I yell, collapsing onto the floor, face up. The response is immediate, she starts giggling. Hard. "Do you not care that I am in pain?" I yell, mock angry. She just giggles some more.

We play like that for a little while until I notice someone else watching me. It's a little boy, maybe ten years old. He's watching us from a couch. He looks like he wants to join us, but is to shy to say anything. His eyes duck when he sees that he's been caught.

"Cocoa, who's that?" I whisper.

"That's NEEEECOOOO." She whispers back, loudly.

"Go get him, so he can play with us."

Cocoa struts across the room to him, grabs his hand, and basically pulls him towards us, ignoring all protests coming from his direction. They come to a halt right in front of me.

"This is NEEEECOOO." Cocoa yells, grinning. She doesn't look embarrassed or anything. I love this kid.

"I'm Nico." The kid whispered, refusing to look me in the eyes.

"So I've heard," I smile gently at him. "I'm Percy."

Nico looks cautiously up.

"Oh, c'mon Nico. I've known you for a full thirty seconds. Were pals."

He smiles now, and sits down next to me and Cocoa (who's again taken up residence in my lap).

"I'm eleven." He whispers quietly.

"Kid. I ain't fifteen anymore, I can't hear the things I used to be able to hear. You need to speak up." He smiles again, and blushes. He doesn't say anything.

"What's that in your hand?" I ask, trying to stir up conversation.

"Mythomagic cards." He whispers again.

"Eh?" I say, tugging on my with my fingers.

"Mythomagic cards." He repeats, a little louder.

"Hippo-radic yards?" I ask him, cleaning out my ear with one finger.

"Mythomagic cards." He yells in my ear. I fall back dramatically.

"Jesus Christ! You don't have to scream it!" Both Cocoa and Nico giggle enthusiastically.

"Do you wanna play?" He asks, excited. I finally got the kid out of his bubble.

"I have no idea how to play hippo-radic yards," I answer, solemnly. "But I know who does..." I point over to Rachel, who was sitting awkwardly on the couch, not speaking to anyone.

"Really?" Nico whispers.

"Yup." I nod. I lean in real close to Nico's ear. "You've just gotta go over to her real quiet. And give her a flower. Then tell her that she's the most beautiful girl in the world." I told him. "Show her the cards, she's a real expert at the game, and she's all yours."

Nico nodded solemnly. He left the room and reappeared a few minutes later with a white rose. I decided not to ask where he'd got it from. "Remember Nico, real quiet." I whispered to him, then pushed him to the direction of Rachel.

I watched the scene unfold in front of me. Nico tip-toed up to Rachel, and whispered something in her ear, then handed her the flower. She blushed so hard her face looked the same colour as her hair. He then showed her the cards. I crossed my fingers hard, hoping this would work. She smiled tentatively, then nodded.

"Yeah!" Cocoa yelled. Rachel and Nico looked straight at us. We were crouched behind the beanbag chair on the carpet, watching them. "Oops." Cocoa said, and covered her mouth quickly. Rachel only laughed, and Nico stuck his tongue out at us.

"Cocoa, those two are a match made in heaven." I said, and Cocoa nodded solemnly at my words.

…..

It was hard leaving the orphanage. Some of us had actually made bonds with the kids there. Me with Cocoa, Rachel with Nico, and even Leo. He'd met a quiet girl named Echo - about the same age as us. But, we had to go. It became afternoon quickly, and we went into a small cafe to eat. Nothing weird happened there, don't worry.

We're now in Central Park. Chiron had handed out some bread crumbs so we could feed the birds. All of us were okay with heartily ignoring the "Please Don't Feed the Birds" sign.

I'm stretched out on the bench, utterly exhausted from walking so much, when a dog runs up to me. I don't see where he comes from. I ignore him for a few seconds before I realize he's not going away. I sigh and sit up.

"Alright." I say to the dog, a massive rottweiler, "what's your name?" I lean down to check his collar. "Forty-Seven." I read out loud. "That's a weird name for a dog."

"I'm a weird dog." The dog answers. _The dog answers. _Now, I've had hallucinations before. I know the drill. The dog can't really talk. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and shake my head a little. When I open my eyes, the dog is still there.

"I know you can't talk." I frown at the dog. "Where's your owner, Forty-Seven?"

The dog doesn't answer, but instead stares at me. At least the dog doesn't answer. At least I'm somewhat sane.

"Go away please." I tell it. He doesn't move. Instead, he stares at me. I sigh and stand up, warily watching the dog. I walk a few steps away from the bench and towards Chiron, who's gathering everyone together again. It's time to go home.

…

I only realize that the dog is following me a few minutes into our tread home. I turn back, and there he is, trotting along patiently. I look around to see if anyone notices, but everyone is caught up in their own conversation. I want to mention it to someone, but it would seem dumb. _Hey this dog keeps following me, kill it please. _Forty-Seven stays at my heels the whole commute home. It's only when we're at the doors of the hospital and Chiron is ushering me into the lobby when I realize I've missed something.

"Chiron, tell me you're not going to let a dog into your hospital?" I ask, confused.

"I'm certainly not." Chiron responds. "Where's this dog someone's smuggling in?" Chiron asks me.

Somethings wrong. Something definitely wrong because Grover's been gone the whole day and now he's back, and grinning at me. And something's definitely wrong because Forty-Seven has started smiling too, and dog's can't smile. And Chiron is giving me that look that says "I don't want to be mean but why are you acting so crazy?"

"The dog?" I whisper hiss at Chiron, not wanting anyone to hear, "The rottweiler at my heels?"

"No, no, no." I mutter, and give Chiron a pleading look. "He's black and has a green collar and on it says Forty-Seven, please." I look up at him.

"Percy, calm down." Chiron's speaking, soothingly. But I can't listen because all I can think of is _no I'm already crazy enough. This is a whole dog! A dog with a name. Why would I name a dog Forty-Seven? _

"He's not fake…" I try again. "Tell me someone can see him. He looks so real. He _is _so real." But no one answers.

I start to hyperventilate and Grover starts to laugh and Forty-Seven starts to bark. My thoughts are scattered, and I can't feel anything.

"I'm sure it's a short-term one, Percy." Rachel says. And I feel like I'm going to barf because if Forty-Seven was a short term hallucination he would have stayed at the park and not followed me home, and he wouldn't still be here, barking at me.

_I'm making a scene. _And it's true because everyone is watching me, and were still in the doorway.

I swallow back bile. "Okay, it's okay. I'm okay." I mutter, though anyone could clearly see that I'm not.

_You're not okay. You are very very crazy._

But I pretend to be fine, and pretend that Forty-Seven isn't still there and didn't follow me to the elevator and to my room.

_Nuts. Psycho. Insane. Kooky. Berserk. Screwy. Mental._

I pretend that Chiron didn't give me a look when I told everyone I'm going to bed early and would skip out on the spontaneous group therapy session.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Annabeth.**

Once Percy left the group, Chiron relented and told us that the meeting would be postponed until morning. So, we all wandered back to our rooms. A few teens were waiting for us in the halls. Luke was right about one thing, they were extremely jealous of how we got to go out. After all, we were the worst behaved group.

I managed to avoid any questions targeted my way and slipped into my room. I won't not admit that I thought about Percy. I was worried about him.

**Percy. **

Group therapy the next day went about as well as expected.

I enter the room with a new sense of optimism. Forty-seven, the dog that followed me home, had left. I'm convinced that he-_it _was temporary.

As I enter, everyone stares at me. Like beckons me to my usual spot in the circle. I smile as if nothing's wrong. I hate people staring at me. Luke starts speaking, but I can't pay attention. _Everyone's staring at me. _I hate people staring at me.

"Percy," Luke calls my name, and snaps me out of whatever I was in. He laughs nervously. "We were just talking about yesterday. Um, what happened yesterday?" I knew he was very nervous, only Chiron spoke to me openly about stuff like this.

"Nothing." I narrow my eyes, daring him to try again. I know that Luke knows that I hate him. Sure enough, he changes the subject.

"Well, it seems as if you made some friends?" I give Luke a confused look. Was he calling Forty-Seven a friend? "I just mean," Luke started when he saw my face, "you were having fun at the orphanage...with that little girl."

My gaze on Luke softens. "I don't know, I just like children. They don't judge." I mutter, embarrassed.

"_Aww._" Thalia cooes, sarcastically. I roll my eyes at her.

...

For the time being, I've returned to my safe haven. The rec room. I know that in individual therapy, which for me is later in the afternoon, Chiron would want to talk about yesterday.

As I draw, I spy something coming in from the corner of my eye. At first I think it's Annabeth, who now comes frequently to this room, but as I turn the corner, I see a dog.

_What the hell? A dog, in the hospital..._I don't understand what's happened until it hits me. This dog is a Rottweiler with a green collar. It's Forty-Seven. He's back. He wasn't temporary.

He stares at me. I'm afraid to break eye contact. My second thought is that _he's too real. I can't have made up something so defined. _And I'm right. Every part of him is precise. His ears are alert, his mouth is full of dirty, sharp teeth, and his tongue is hanging out of his mouth. Even his fur looks bristly.

_Maybe it's because I'm an artist._

I reach out my hand subconsciously to pet him, and sure enough, his fur is dry and smooth. I second guess myself again. _This dog has to be real. Imagination isn't this precise. _

The dog looks happy. He doesn't look as evil as I'd thought he did yesterday. He's panting excitedly and wagging his tail. I keep petting him for a little while longer, slowly getting used to his company.

"Hey Forty-Seven. I know it's not your fault I'm insane. Life just sucks."

"Yeah, life sucks,." I jump back at his voice. It's unnerving, how his mouth moves to make human syllables.

"I forgot you could do that." I mutter towards him. All he does is motion towards my hand with his head. He wants me to keep petting him.

"Dude, we could be friends. I wanna be friends man, like you and everyone else." He speaks again, but this time I hide my discomfort.

"Alright let's be friends," I giggle a little "Of course, I'm friends with a satyr and an imaginary dog."

"That's just how life is man. One day you're eating ice cream, the next you're in a mental hospital - talking to a dog." I turn my face away from his. His voice sounds a lot more human and friendly when I don't see where it's coming from.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I wish life was normal. I hate being here. I just want to be normal."

"But I thought we were friends, man?" His voice sounded a lot quieter.

"Huh?"

He trotted around the couch so he was facing me again, and I can see his face. "I thought we were friends man. You said you wished that I was gone."

I could already see where this conversation was going. I quickly tried to take back my words. "No, that's not- I said-"

He jumped on me. My imaginary dog friend, who apparently weighs fifty pounds, jumped on me. His claws dug into my shirt. I could feel blood -real not imaginary- seeping through. My eyes widened at him, and I let out a small whimper.

"I'm sorry man but don't be disrespecting me. I'm your friend, bro." The Californian accent in his voice now sounded sinister.

"Alright sorry, sorry man." I take on his accent, my voice hoarse, hoping it will appease him.

It works, apparently, because he gets off me. "It's all good." He looks once more like an excited, innocent dog. "Gonna go chill now, though." He says, and he leaves through the opened door.

I only sigh. Only I would get attacked by my imaginary, Californian talking dog. I look down at my cuts. The shirt was definitely ruined. _If they're not real, how can they inflict so much pain? _

I stand up and consider telling someone what'd happened. "Yeah excuse me ma'am, I hurt my talking dogs feelings, and he attacked me." I laugh it off, the pain - everything. I move towards the rec room door and to my room to clean myself up.

...

When I come back into the room, Annabeth's there. She's reading a book. I nod at her before collapsing on the couch, face up. I'd left my sketchbook in my room, so I reserve myself to just thinking. Subconsciously, I start thinking about Forty-Seven, which leads to Grover, which leads to Annabeth. I started thinking about how different we are.

**Annabeth. **

"We could learn a lot more from each other, Annabeth Chase." Percy says, a few minutes after he came in.

I look up and raise an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean, Percy Jackson?' I mock his formal tone.

"You need to learn how to live, and I need to learn how to die." He said it so firmly, as if he'd thought about it for so long earlier.

Me, realizing that this was a serious conversation, sat up. "What the hell…?"

Percy stayed laying on the couch, gazing up at the ceiling. "Think about it! We both have too much or too little emotion. You don't care about anything. I care too much about everything." He was getting worked up now, but his eyes still wouldn't meet mine. It was as if he didn't want to see me shoot his idea down.

"What do you mean you care too much about things?" I asked, feigning nonchalance, trying to change the subject.

"I'm really paranoid, I freak out about everything, I have too much life." This time, as he spoke, he sat up too look at me.

"You have too much life."

"Yeah I do! I have so much life that I can't focus on anything, I'm disorganized, I don't think straight." He snapped his fingers like he'd just thought of something brilliant. "I have so much life that I had to create fake life that only I can see."

"You mean Grover?" My voice is teasing.

Percy's got this sort of psychotic grin on that makes him look like he's either cured cancer or he's a mad scientist. "Yeah, I mean Grover," He shouts, "And-" He cuts off quickly.

My eyes narrow quickly at him. "And who?"

"Nothing, no one." He quickly change the subject. "But don't you understand? That's what this is-I have too much life! What else would this be? Why else would I be here?"

"Schizophrenia." I state, coldly. Both what I said and my tone catches him off guard.

"What?" His smile's lessened considerably.

"Everything your listing - the paranoia, the disorganization, the mood swings, even the hallucinations," Percy flinches, "these are all just symptoms of the mental disorder schizophrenia."

Percy, who excited during his rant had stood up, collapsed back on the couch. He stares off into space and doesn't say anything for a while. For about ten minutes he sits there in silence, leaving me to wonder if I've been too harsh.

Finally, when I was about to apologize, Percy speaks. "Yeah, you're right. It's just schizophrenia." He sounded depressed, as if his previous happy demeanor had been ripped off of him. "But…" he smirks, "I still wanna do it. I still wanna teach you how to live. I still want you to teach me how to die."

"Why, Percy? It's illogical." I growl, annoyed that he doesn't get the point. Unhappy that I'm still being dragged into his plot.

"Annabeth." His tone is serious now. A permanent serious, not like any of the other emotions he's exposed. "I'm getting crazier - hear me out." He states, because I open my mouth to protest.

"In a year we'll both be eighteen. When we turn eighteen, we'll be adults. This is a summer hospital program for youth. In a month, if this place doesn't fix us, we'll be turned over to real residential hospitals. With people with worse, more intense, mental diseases. Right now, we can pretend we're not 'crazy'. But what about when we get over there? _We'll be crazy, Annabeth."_

He pauses his speech to see my face, which was not impressed. "You, of course, won't be admitted to anything serious, 'cause depression ain't something they'd take so seriously. You'll be prescribed a bunch of drugs and sent off into the world, sad." I raised my eyebrows at him, urging him to get to the point. "I, on the other hand, will be sent to a place with electroshock-do you know how many nightmares I've had about electroshock? They'll take away my sketchbook, they'll saddle me on drugs. I won't be myself! I've only got one month."

"You've got a whole year!"

"I've got one month, because my birthdays in August. Please, Annabeth, I'm begging you - teach me how to die."

"What about Thalia? She's nineteen, she's still here." I point out.

"That's because her dad's super rich and can pull some strings. He basically owns this whole hospital."

I bit my lip. "What does that even mean? Teaching you how to die?"

"Teach me how to not care so much about stuff. Tell me how you're so chill all the time."

"It's called depression, Percy."

"I just need some calming techniques."

"It won't be anything Chiron hasn't taught you. I'm not a professional psychiatrist, Percy. I might just make it worse."

"We have a connection, Annabeth. It's that were totally opposites." He gave me a pleading grin. He pouted, he fell onto his knees.

I, completely prepared to say no, said, "Fine."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Percy.

I couldn't speak more to Annabeth in the rec room. I had individual therapy with Chiron. As I enter the room, I feel as if thousands of people are staring at me, though it's only Chiron staring intently at me from behind the desk. I imagine thousands of doctors, in long white lab coats, staring at me from behind a glass panel.

"What do you think, doctor?" The imaginary nurse pushes up her glasses and stares straight at me.

"The boy's obviously damaged. Look at him. He can't even keep still." The doctor observes my antsy body.

"He's on drugs. C'mon, doctor, his diagnosis isn't real." Another doctor speaks from the corner of my eyes, more sinister than the first.

"-Percy!" Chiron snaps, and I jump. More from the fact that I'm not used to Chiron yelling than from the sudden unexpected noise. He takes a deep breath, and starts talking again. "Take a seat, please."

I sit down, a little nervous. "I'm sorry." I murmur to Chiron, 'cause it feels like the right thing to do.

"For what?" I just shrug.

"Did the dog come back, Percy?" Chiron cuts right to the chase.

The correct answer was no. I say "No," But I shuffle a bit in my seat, and look down at the table.

Chiron can tell when I'm lying. He doesn't call me out on it. He just sighs and pretends that I said 'yes.' "You have only two constant hallucinations, if the dog even is constant. That's pretty good seeing that you've had schizophrenia since you were thirteen."

"I saw Grover since I was six."

"Everything else, all the other symptoms - gradually came. You weren't diagnosed with full blown schizophrenia until you were in your teens."

"He's seeing things, doctor. Hallucinations and such."

"He's just pretending, for attention obviously. We see this in many teens, doctor."

"Two is more than one. Two is one more than a week ago. I'm crazier now than I was twelve hours ago." I glower at the table.

"That's not true, Percy. I see improvements from when you first came here."

"I have more mood swings, Chiron. I'm eating less. I weigh less. I sleep less." I whisper. I've hid these things from everyone, especially Chiron, hoping it was just a phase. Now I was scared of myself. I wanted help, and I needed help.

Chiron's eyebrows shoot up for a second, betraying his look of nonchalance. Quickly they settle back into place. I giggle and wiggle my eyebrows as well.

"See this, doctor? Classic symptom of schizophrenia - mood swings."

"He needs to just man up, doctor."

"You can't sleep, Percy? Why's that?" Chiron actually sounds concerned, I don't understand why, because I'm a lost cause. I only shrug in response.

"Grover?" I shrug again. "Nightmares?" I shrug again, but this time Chiron sees my discomfort.

"This boy is obviously troubled, doctor."

"Can't argue with you there, honey."

"I'm going to prescribe to you some new pills-"

"I can't take the pills." I respond quickly and darkly.

"Why not? You're not allowed to? Grover won't let you?" He's guessed one reason, but I don't tell him that.

"I just can't, that's why. They make my brain rotten. I can't see Grover, I can't draw."

"The drugs are to stabilize you Percy, they block out the hallucinations. These ones will help you sleep with no nightmares." Chiron states, but he seems defeated. He knows I'm going to refuse. He knows I won't take them.

"I can't draw when I take them. They rot my brain." I reiterate my points, waiting for Chiron to explain why that happens.

"Percy, you can't just refuse all treatment." He says, letting it go. But I don't let it go. I take my sketchbook, which was clutched in my clammy hand this whole conversation, and show him the picture. The picture is of a brain. But the brain is decomposing, veins are cut open, and the whole thing is a soggy mess. Flies are flying around it, one is perched precariously on the top. Some of the red tubes, usually filled with blood are flattened. Worms are wriggling through holes. One's bitten a hole through the middle.

"You can see by the drawing that he's mad, doctor."

The most shock I've seen Chiron display was with the photo. He physically recoils. "This is what happens when I take the drugs, Chiron. I saw it. I drew it." I tell him eagerly.

"You saw this before you drew it?" Chiron asks, trying to act calm, but closing the sketchbook. My mouth clamps shut. In my eagerness to prove SOMETHING to Chiron, I'd told him something that I wasn't supposed to tell him. I wasn't really allowed to tell him.

Percy's in trouble, Percy's in trouble.

"Percy?" Chiron's voice has a sense of urgency in it. "Talk to me."

"Uh, yeah. I saw it." My voice was quieter. "In other people's brains, I mean. I saw the inside of their heads." Grover was going to kill me.

"When did this happen?"

"It, like happens sometimes in group therapy. I don't know." I tried to answer vaguely. I didn't tell him how the inside of their heads each had different personalities. I didn't tell him how Luke's had a small hole in it, and Thalia's was bright red, not pink.

"Okay, Percy." He looks like he's aged 30 years in 30 minutes. "Time's up with me. Take a break from drawing, get some sleep."

"Serious actions need to be taken to ensure the safety of those around him, doctor."

"I say we kill him, doctor. He doesn't deserve to live."

The doctor finally responds to the both of them. "I absolutely agree."

…

As I walk out the room, I acknowledge the fact that I am in major shit. Grover's going to kill me, because the brains thing was our little secret.

It's probably going to be worse if I go back to the rec room to talk to Annabeth, but I consider it all the same. I don't wanna delay the inevitable though. The faster that Grover corrects me, the faster he goes back to helping me.

…

I brace myself before entering the room, and I almost chicken out. I force myself to open the door, and sure enough, Grover's on the other side of it. Surprisingly, the dog's there too.

"Dude, what the hell? He said it was a secret." The dog speaks first. Grover's just humming. I can't recognize the tune. "I think you should say sorry."

"Sorry," I obey. "I'm so sorry Grover."

"Chill, Percy. I'm not mad at you." Grover stops humming and stares at me.

I become childishly eager. "You aren't?"

"Just disappointed." My euphoria disappeared. Dread filled it quickly.

"Sorry, really. It just slipped out."

"Things always have to 'just slip out,' Percy. Why do they have to 'just slip out?'" He stands up and stalks towards me, backing me up to the wall. He grabs hold of my neck and pushes me against the wall.

"I'm sorry." I gasp.

"Oh, well, then I totally forgive you. As long as you're sorry, right?" He snarls at me, sarcastically, but he lets me go. My relief is short lived, as Grover, quickly and viciously, grabs my head and slams me against the wall. I crumple to the floor.

"I think you should say sorry." Forty-seven speaks again. "I think you should beg for his forgiveness and promise to do whatever he says."

"Listen to the dog, Percy." Grover sing-songs. "Always listen to the dog."

"Alright, sorry, Grover. Please forgive me, I'll do whatever you want. Pinky-promise." I whimper.

"That's fine then." Grover is happy again, and I peek up at him to check if he's being sarcastic. But all he does is smile and offer a hand to pick me up. I take it hesitantly.

Annabeth.

Percy doesn't come back to the rec room, so I busy myself with the work that Chiron's told me to do. I've only got one thing written on my piece of paper.

My little brother - love

I consider writing, "My parents - hate" But I know that I don't really hate them. I chew on my pencil for a while before scribbling down:

Music - peace

Maybe that'll convince Chiron to give me my iPod back (which a nurse had confiscated when she saw it discarded on my table a week back). I have nothing else to write, and though I know Chiron will be disappointed, I abandon the piece of paper.

…

I was right. Chiron sighs when he sees the lack of completion on my paper.

"Annabeth, if you have nothing to make you feel, I expect you should find things to make you feel. Make yourself feel." Chiron looks me straight in the eyes.

"Is that due next week?" I simply ask.

"No. It's not an assignment, it's a choice. A dire choice, Annabeth. Please." Chiron was acting as if I were a lot more important than I actually am. He changes the subject. "How's the hospital, Annabeth? Do you see improvement?"

"Yeah. I get up every morning on time. I'm not tired that much anymore. My appetite is more or less back." Some of these statements aren't true, I say them anyway.

"Thanks, Annabeth. I needed that. I needed to know that we're making a difference in people's lives." Chiron confiding in me surprises me. Though, I did notice how stressed he was when I entered.

"What happened?" I ask, trying to be helpful.

"Nothing I should be worrying you with, Annabeth." Chiron sighs, as if debating with himself if he should continue the conversation. "I'm just worried that I can't save all of you."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 - Watch out for kinda swearing in this chapter if you're sensitive to that stuff.**

Chapter 11

Annabeth.

"The first step to being alive," Percy started, trying to be mysterious, "is to have friends!" He finished with a flourish.

It was the day after singular therapy. Group therapy had just passed, and Percy and I were in our usual spots in the rec room, doing what we usually do. Him, drawing absent mindedly - but actually talking to me. And me, trying to read but ultimately giving up because Percy's bothering me with his talking. Percy's plan of fixing each other hadn't just been a crazy moment. He actually wanted to try and 'teach me how to live' and vice versa. Step one, apparently, had began right now.

I only raised an eyebrow at him. "I have friends. Remember? Thalia? She's your friend too?" I look sceptically at him, wondering what he's getting at.

He only frowns at me. "You have more than one friend Annabeth."

"Well, I don't think Rachel really likes me, so that's only one." I mock him by pretending to be pondering my acquaintances.

His frown deepens, "Me, idiot. I'm your friend." I just smirk at him. When he sees that I wasn't being serious, he smiles again and continues. "As I was saying," Percy stated loudly, standing up. "You need more friends. This is why I'm going to introduce you to exactly everyone in group three."

Immediately, I start to protest. Meeting more people at a residential youth mental hospital didn't sound like a lot of fun to me. Alas, Percy wouldn't take no for an answer. Despite his scrawny features, he picked me up easily from the couch and dragged me all the way to the dorm hallway.

"I swear to God, Percy. If you don't let go of me I will scream rape." He promptly let go of me.

"Alright," Percy started, thinking out loud. "You've already met Rachel, Thalia and I. You of course know yourself. So that's already four people off the list! Only eight more to go." He said brightly.

I only gave him a look that told him that his humour would not be appreciated in this situation. "I've already met four people - that's enough friends-" I started, but Percy interrupted sternly.

"Nope. You know all of them, really. You've been having group therapy with them every day. Now you're just going to know them a little more." Percy tried to reassure me.

"I never actually PAY ATTENTION in group therapy," I yell, hysterical. "Who pays attention in group therapy?"

"Chill, Annabeth. They're just people." Percy states, and then as if the conversation was over, "I think it's time that you met Leo." And promptly started walking towards his door.

"Percy, wait, I know Leo. I saw him when we were going out." I hurriedly followed him, trying to stall time.

"Well, now you'll know him better." Was his bright reply, as he kept walking perkily towards Leo's door.

"What's he got?" I asked quickly, as Percy arrived at the door and knocked.

All Percy could get in was, "Tourettes," Before the door opened and a grinning elf appeared. He had tan skin, and curly hair surrounding his head.

"Percy!" Twitch. "Percy's B*TCH." He addressed me. I scowled at him. He only twitched, still grinning, before beckoning us into his room.

"Don't worry, he swears a lot, 'cause of his tourettes - he can't control it." Percy whispers to me before following Leo into the room. "Believe it or not, he's one of the sanest here."

"Piper and Jason got into a fight." Twitch, this time with his hands, which quickly pulled the skin of his cheeks back and released them, "So they've obviously - BINGO'S AN IDIOT - left to go sulk in their own room. POOR PRINCESSES. Leaving me here all alone. LONELY F*CKER." Twitch, twitch, twitch.

Percy seemed used to the outbursts, but every time Leo shouted I jumped. Percy was looking amused at me, but decided to cut me some slack. "You get used to it after a while, Annabeth, don't worry. Be lucky he's not saying any of his nasty words."

After that, Leo proceeded to scream his 'nasty word' (which started with a C) about five times in a row, all the while abruptly twitching, itching, or plainly pulling parts of his body. At one point, when Percy and Leo were talking, I was mesmerized by his hands - just staring at how they jumped up and down, left and right. Leo, noticing this said, mockingly offended "My eyes are up here! TOM AND JERRY'S MOTHER." And Percy almost died with laughter.

Leo also tried to hit on me once or twice. "You know Annabeth, I'm getting out of here soon, I could take you out - LIAR, LIAR." Leo scowled at himself. "F*CKING-" He continued on a string of swear words, which I doubted were caused by his disability.

I started breaking out of my shell a little bit at a time. It was easy to do with Leo, because he seemed kind of care free, and an all around witty guy.

I'd started testing out Leo's built in lie detector ("Leo how tall are you?" "Six, uh, two SMELLY LYING IDIOT.") When Percy had said, "I think it's time to go. Annabeth's gotta meet other people in this place."

Leo smiled and waved goodbye with parting words. "I'll see you, Annabeth! SAD DEPRESSED B*TCH." And, when the door was about to close, "CALL ME."

Percy laughed and said, "That was just his Tourettes."

"NO IT WASN'T." Leo yelled from behind the closed door.

…

The next person we met was Jason, Leo's close friend. Immediately we entered his room (which was unnaturally clean), he glared intensely at me.

"Uh, hi." I started off.

"Your shoes. Take your shoes off." He continued to glare at me, his eyes flickering to my beat up Converse once in a while. At first glance he looked tall and intimidating, so I shrunk timidly into Percy.

Percy cursed as if he'd forgotten something. "I didn't warn you Annabeth, Jason has obsessive compulsive disorder." He muttered to me, then louder, "Sorry, Jace."

Jason's fingers began to twitch, but it was less apparent and more intentional than Leo's hands. He tapped the table three times, tapped his bed six times, and tapped his feet three times. "Get out." Then, noticing what he said was rude, "I mean, uhm, please take off your shoes and throw them into the hallway."

Percy started doing this as if it weren't a strange request, so I followed his lead. All the while Jason started counting under his breath by two's. "Two, four, eight, ten, twelve. Stay there." He addressed us. "God I'll have to scrub this place down, dirty damn shoes."

I raised an eyebrow at Percy, but he stood there patiently, as if waiting for more instructions from Jason. We didn't have to wait long because Jason finally snapped and said, "Why don't we go talk in the hallway?" And without waiting for an answer stalked in front of us to open the door. He opened and closed the door five times before actually being able to open it fully.

Jason seemed more at ease outside, but I noticed he was standing stock still and refused to lean against the walls like Percy and I, who were putting our shoes back on.

"Hey, Jason," Percy started, smiling. "This is Annabeth, I'm trying to get her to be more social."

"In this nut house?" Jason asked (which was exactly my point), but Percy only shrugged. "Hey Annabeth," He turned towards me, "Sorry for my little freak out inside. I've seen you in group therapy," he exclaimed, recognizing me. "You're the one who always looks glassy eyed."

I only shrugged in response, not knowing what to say. "Uh, okay." Jason muttered awkwardly, then turned towards Percy again.

"I heard you and Piper had a fight."

"Yeah," Jason shuddered. "She threw up her breakfast, and then she touched me." He frowned.

"She threw up her breakfast?" I asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah." Jason answered, seemingly unconcerned, "And she touched me! Do you understand how many rituals I had to do, Percy? I was washing my hands for at least an hour." Sure enough, when I looked down, Jason's hands looked scrubbed raw.

"Just thinking about it makes me want to count up by three's while simultaneously taking a shower." Percy smirked at Jason.

"Ha-ha, very funny." Jason glowered at Percy. "Make fun of the guy who just wants to be clean."

"Aww, I'm sorry Jason, give me a hug." Percy opened his arms and leaned threateningly towards Jason, who, looking terrified, backed away a few steps.

"Uh, listen Percy, I got to go...scrub my room down again." Jason said, flustered. "See you later, nice talking, Annabeth." He muttered quickly before entering his room quickly (or as quickly as one can when he has to open and close the door three times), leaving a bemused Percy behind.

"Who now?" I asked Percy.

"Uh, well, I'm going to turn you over to Thalia to introduce you to the girls." I groaned internally, girls were judgier than guys. There's only Frank, who has like, what's it called? He thinks he's different people - and there's Travis and Connor."

"Travis and Connor?" I asked, as we start walking down the hall.

"They just like to steal stuff, kleptos. They aren't related, but they are roommates, which is very rare in this hospital." Percy explained quickly.

The door to their rooms opened before we knocked. "Percy, yo." The guy at the door yelled. He was grinning widely, as if expecting Percy. "Are you here for some-" He cut off when he saw me behind Percy.

"Uh, hi, Annabeth."

I frowned at him. "How do you know my name?"

His voice immediately turned mysterious. "I know all. I see all. They said I was mad, and threw me here. But I will get my revenge!"

"You're freaking her out, Travis." Percy glanced at me. I gave Travis a confused look.

"I'm just messing with you." He laughed, his scarily happy voice back.

"Where's Connor?" Percy asked, trying to get a peek inside the room. Travis immediately slammed the door shut behind him.

"Strictly confidential." Travis stated, importantly. "We've got to do something. Very busy. Very against the rules." Travis winked at me before walking down the hall quickly.

"Dammit." Percy swore, when Travis turned the corner.

"What?"

"He nicked my watch." Percy sighed, looking at his bare wrist.

…

"The girls are hanging out in Thalia's room, excluding Rachel of course." Percy led me to her room. "This is the point where I'll be leaving you, I don't really enjoy girl talk." Percy made a sour face at the door.

"Well, go on, knock." Percy prodded me towards the door, but I only bit my lip and stared at it.

"I don't want to intrude…" I heard shrieking from behind the door.

Percy sighed. "Oh for heaven's sake." He knocked loudly and quickly on the door before sprinting in the other direction, following Travis down the hall.

Before I could yell anything rude to him, the door opened to reveal a skinny girl with long, braided hair. When I meant skinny, I meant it to the extent. Her cheeks looked sunken in and her shirt, though it was a tank top, looked baggy on her. If she wasn't so skinny she would have looked beautiful, like one of those Victoria secret models. She had a tan complexion and her face was sharp and angled.

"Oh, hello." Even her voice sounded pretty. "I'm Piper." The question caught me off guard.

"Ignore her, Annabeth." Thalia came up behind Piper, and pulled me into the room. Laying on the bed face down was another girl. She was African-American and had her hair done in twists up to her shoulders.

"That's Hazel." Thalia introduced me. The girl put up a hand in greeting. "She's going through withdrawal, so she'll be a little cranky." As if on cue, a groan came from her direction.

"Hi, Hazel." I murmured.

Piper said accusingly, sitting daintily beside Hazel. "Jason thinks I'm fat. He wouldn't touch me after breakfast."

Thalia only rolled her eyes. "That's because you just threw up and he's a clean freak." I told her, quietly.

"You talked to him?" Piper stood up immediately and looked at me.

"Uh, yeah. With Percy."

"That's awesome! He doesn't think I'm fat! Thank you, Annabeth." Piper wrapped her bony arms tightly around me. I gave her a tight smile in return.

I only hoped that she'd washed her hands since morning.

…

_**Happy chapter that's also kind of a filler but also introduces characters so...necessary? I just wanted to write something happy cause the last one was depressing.**_

_**Also, this story is halfway over so, I wanted to start thinking of another fan fiction to write. Tell me which one of the summaries you'd like me to write please:**_

_**1**_**. It was all a mistake, really. Posiedon Jackson was just a misunderstood twenty year old businessman. He only wanted some time with his four year old son. He never meant to _kidnap_ the child, and he never meant to be running away from the law with him. He just got in over his head, that's all. (Humour, Cuteness, Angst, idk.) AU Mortals.**

**orrrr**

**2. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are mortal enemies in high school. Both are misunderstood individuals, limited to the cliques of high school. Him, a troublemaking smart mouth. Her, _little miss perfect. _Both happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and get kidnapped. Will their forced time together teach them about the other person? (It kind of sounds cliché, I know). (Not REALLY Percabeth, because I don't think people should be falling in love with each other when they are in grave danger...) AU Mortals.**

_**I have a kidnapping theme going on, I know. If people are interested, I could write a little bit of each, but I don't really like writing Author's Notes because it makes the chapters seem longer than they actually are.**_

_**:)**_


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Percy.**

When I first came to the hospital, Chiron told me that schizophrenia wasn't only hallucination. I wasn't diagnosed just because I could see Grover, and no one else could. He gave me a list of symptoms, and told me that was what we were going to _work on. _

Work on. As if I needed to be fixed.

I always thought I was normal in high school. I thought I was the only normal one amidst the image-obsessed girls, socially awkward nerds, extremely introverted goths, bulked up jocks - circus show, that was high school. I thought I was the _one _person that understood reality. And Grover was just a little 'quirk' to guide me through it.

I start laughing really hard just thinking about it - about how I was the one who was really crazy in the end. Those high school freaks are allowed into the world - and I'm holed up in here.

**Annabeth**.

I craved socialization like I never knew I would. Usually, at home, I wouldn't make the effort to be likeable or friendly in school. I would go to school, take notes, eat, take notes, go home, do homework (or, closer to my visit, give up on doing homework), eat, sleep, repeat. This resulted in the issue of not being really close to anyone. There was my biological brother, Malcolm, but he went off to university, so I was left alone and unhappy.

Now though, I'm left unsatisfied with amusing myself with my thoughts and actually care enough to get out of bed in the morning.

This residential hospital isn't like regular ones. They don't plan your day for you from start to finish. You have _a lot_ of free time. The hospital does plan many activities - arts and craft, music club, even studying - but none of them are mandatory except a daily group therapy session and weekly singular therapy one.

I usually stay in my room the whole day, or read in the recreation room. Reading is something I do a lot - not because it makes me happy, or makes me feel anything - but because it distracts me from everything. Even my thoughts. It's easy to pretend you don't have depression if you're constantly distracted by something. I guess that's why the hospital gives us so much free time - so we come to terms with ourselves.

It's laughable to think about a group of teenagers 'coming to terms' with ourselves.

I tried to read, honestly. I picked the book up and put it down several times before throwing it across the room. It wasn't doing it's job right. This is when I thought about companionship. I thought about hanging out with someone.

So I went to find Percy.

…

When I knocked on his door, he gave me an unusually bright smile. Instead of asking what I was doing there, in his room, unannounced, he only dragged me towards the rec room. I let him pull me. I let myself smile slightly by his energy.

**Percy.**

Today is a bad day. There were bugs in my head. Well, not bugs exactly. Mosquitos. And not in my head specifically, in my brain. I could feel them flying around, and I could hear their buzzing. Chiron would say they weren't real - he would ask me logical questions like, "_How did they get in there?" and "what are they doing?" _those were questions I was incapable of asking myself.

But at that moment they were real and alive and _inside me. _Buzzing so loudly that I almost didn't hear the knock on my door. Almost.

At first I thought it was a nurse or Chiron, coming to ask me about breakfast I skipped, again. This thought made the buzzing in my head even worse. Not bugs anymore, but voices.

When I saw Annabeth there, _willingly, _I made sure she couldn't see today was a bad day. So instead, I took her to the rec room, where her and I are getting more accustomed to hanging out in.

…

**Annabeth**.

"You got dressed." Was the first thing Percy said to me as we sat down on the couches, across from each other, in the pale white room.

"Yeah, like every normal human being..." I replied. But I could see what he meant. I hadn't just thrown on a pair of sweats, or a baggy t-shirt over leggings. I had put together an outfit. _I had tried. _

"You're not very normal, though." Percy stated, bluntly. I frown at him, not sure whether to be insulted. "None of us are normal. Why are we here?" He gestured around him - pretending not to notice my expression.

"Well...being normal is the goal, isn't it?"

"Being socially acceptable is the goal, not normality." Percy stated, as if he'd thought of it before. "Not one person is _really _normal."

I didn't argue with him, because I felt that he truly believed that. I knew for a fact that staying quiet in public didn't get you out of this hospital.

Instead I just smiled at him.

Immediately he took out his sketchbook and started drawing. He beckoned me towards him to come watch. I did. In a few strokes I saw that he was drawing me, _again. _When he was finished, I saw that I was smiling.

"An Annabeth Chase smile is once in a lifetime." Percy teased, his voice becoming very British and very _National Geographic. _"When you see one, you must immortalize it somehow."

"I do smile." I say, because I make sure I smile. It's one of those _social cues _the hospital teaches you.

"Let me clarify - I mean a real smile - to another person. Sometimes you smirk, sometimes you smile _to yourself. _Sometimes you do this thing where you smile but it doesn't really reach your eyes. What you did right now - that wasn't any of that. That was a _real Annabeth Chase smile."_ I don't know how to respond to that, so I don't. I like what he said, it made me appreciate Percy, because he gets it. He got whatever IT was.

I smiled at him, a giant grin, and his drawing became more intense as he rushed to immortalize me, talking between his chaotic, but controlled, strokes.

"Your smiles are so special, someone could write a song about them." He amends, his eyes glued onto his paper. "Hell, if I wasn't so tone deaf, I honestly would write a song about them."

"You couldn't only write a song about my smile."

"Okay fine, I'd write a song about you, and everything you do."

"Will it be called Yellow?" I ask, jokingly. _Since when do I joke?_

He looks up at his artwork momentarily, confused. "I don't get it." I wave him off.

"Can I have the picture?" I allow myself to speak after a few minutes of silence - when I knew he was done.

"Oh well...I don't really give people my pictures." Was Percy's quiet response. The regret in his tone made me feel bad for asking. "I'll show it to you when I'm finished." He was giving me one of his off-kilter grins.

"It's not finished yet?"

"You have to add colour and stuff." He replied.

"Why?"

"Because that's what makes it alive." To him, it was a fact. "I have to get the colours from the art room."

"So, let's go to the art room." I suggested, readily.

His smile becomes a little less maniacal, and a little more sarcastic. "Look at you, Annabeth, all spontaneous." He raises an eyebrow at me.

"You're making me smile too much right now," is my reply, "I'm going to run out of smiles, and it'll be all your fault."

"So smiles are a physical thing? And you can run out of them?"

"For me, yeah. If I smile too much, I'll get tired, and it'll turn into a grimace. One of the special things about me."

"That's alright with me. Your grimace's are as beautiful as your smiles." I'm startled, and Percy gives me a cocky grin, as if glad that he's surprised me.

I catch myself quickly. _Showing emotion, Annabeth. Rookie move. _I give him a huge exaggerated scowl. "Like that? Do you like that, Percy?"

He licks his lips seductively, which sends me into hysterics, which sends him into hysterics. When we calm down he looks almost lost, as if something had occurred to him.

"Annabeth Chase," He says to me. "We are teenagers." As if it were a life changing thought.

I understand his sentiment though. Us talking like this, it's almost normal. Like we're best friends chatting in a bedroom after school. "Almost normal." I whisper.

"Almost normal." He responds, quietly.

If this were a romance book. This is the point where I would lean my head on his shoulder and smile, and be content. And we would both be happy and cured of our ailments. And maybe, we would even kiss.

**Percy.**

If this were a romantic comedy, we would lean in to each other, and kiss awkwardly, and laugh about our kiss, then kiss again. I would wind my hand into hers and she'd lean her head on my shoulders and then we would sleep or some shit like that.

Instead, the door burst open, and we both jumped, as if caught in an act. It was Travis Stoll, holding car keys.

More specifically, _Luke's _car keys.

"You can drive, right?"

**IMPORTANT READ THIS PART PLS: I'm gonna change the name of this story to ALMOST NORMAL kay? So don't be confused if it comes up in your email.**

**ALSO THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR OVER 100 FOLLOWERS!**

_**I'm so sorry for not updating throughout the summer guys so I'm going to give you a list of excuses as to why:**_

_**1. Writers Block**_

_**2. My birthday - June 12**_

_**3. Tumblr (more likely known as procrastination) (follow me tho: my usernames are suphisticated and west-africanprincess)**_

_**4. We went to Nigeria for a month in July and internet was limited**_

_**5. Writer's block**_

_**6. Freaking out about high school**_

_**7. Writer's Block**_

_**Also, did you guys get the "Yellow" reference? First one to tell me in reviews gets like...umm...idk...a synopsis of the next chapter. Because I have the idea but I haven't written it yet. Also starting school soon so if it's not out in two weeks don't wait up.**_


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Annabeth.**

We stared at him for a full minute, not quite comprehending what was happening. He waved his hands in front of our faces. "Hellloooo? I asked if you could drive, Percy?"

Percy's face lit up with something that I could call _devilish-glee_, then _disappointment_, like he'd just thought of something.

Travis, seeing his face, pouted. "Oh, no, Percy. Don't give me that look. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I worked hard to get this opening. Think about, us _cruising the highway, free._" He turned to me as if he'd just noticed I was there. I gave him a wry smile. "Is it because of _her?" _

I stick my tongue out at him as he wrinkles his nose in disgust at me.

Percy still had a conflicted look on his face. But now it had become more intense, like he was arguing with himself. When he finally talked, it was only a whisper. "Grover says I should go. He said I should miss the..."

Travis seemed unsure of how to handle this situation, he'd only ever seen the part of Percy that was in control. "Miss the what?" He asked.

"The Examination."

Me, known for my skills of pretending something was not off, asked, "What the hell is that?" Percy snorted a little and Travis gasped dramatically.

"You mean, _the _Examination? You're doing that, today?"

The colour started to come back to his face, which meant we did a good job of undoing whatever was going on in his head. "Well, not today. In a few days. It's a surprise. Definitely this week. You shouldn't be so surprised. I _am _about to turn eighteen. Which means I will be a legal adult. Which means I won't be allowed in this _youth _residential hospital anymore."

"You're going?" I ask, because somewhere in my _month _of being here I have not imagined life here, however horrible, without Percy. It is just now that I am realizing that Percy and I... _I like him. _The thought made me laugh, almost. _I like him. I haven't liked anyone in years. _

_Do I love him?_

_I am incapable of love. _

Even if I like Percy, I can not imagine our relationship outside of this hospital.

These thoughts materialize in my brain so quickly that I think that maybe I know how Percy feels. Percy is trying to answer my question. I tune in to the conversation again.

"...I don't know how I'll do and I'm just scared, because…" He falters again. I could imagine new memories and ideas and voices in his brain, chopping his thoughts in half. His face becomes determined. "I have to do it. If I don't they'll send me to a snake pit."

"Asylums don't exist anymore, Percy." My wry tone is back.

"Annabeth, don't you understand?" He looks at me hard, like he's begging me to get it. "If I pass the exam I'm a free man. I can...I can live." I could see in his eyes that he truly believed this.

I'm not the one to contradict him this time. Travis looks at Percy, kind of concerned. "That's not how it works Percy." And he is right. Whatever is wrong with you in here, will be wrong with you out there. Even if I have only been here for a little after a month, I refuse to imagine anything outside it. It's almost dangerous.

"Why are you on Grover's side?" He asks us., he's almost crying.

"What is Grover's side?"

"You all want to me to rot in this crazy house. He can't...he can't control me. I have to do this interview, Annabeth, okay?"

"Okay." I say, because I understand.

Travis just sighs and whistles, kind of forlorn. "I guess that means I have to put these back." He looks longingly at the keys. "So since we're not going on a crime spree...you wanna play cards tomorrow?"

…

**Percy.**

My head is raging from the internal fight I had with myself a half hour ago. Grover and his little minions are fighting back at my disobedience. He'd told me to go with Travis, and to skip the exam. He said it would be okay. For once in my life, I thought it wouldn't. Maybe it was my internal longing for something _outside_ of this hospital. All my life there was someone to control me. If not Gabe, then a teacher. Then a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist. Being an adult is about making your own decisions, not being seen unfit to make any. Not being stuffed into another hospital.

For once in my life, especially after such a huge fight with _myself, _I feel fairly tranquil, but also uneasy. Like this was the calm before the storm. Like me disagreeing with Grover will end with my life spiraling downwards until I hit the bottom. Maybe this is how Annabeth feels.

I am left with these thoughts as I roam the halls, waiting for my next meeting with Chiron. From now until the interview, he is going to prep and prepare me. He is going to put me in shape. He is going to make me...not sane, but…

I guess he will teach me how to pretend. Pretend that I am responsible young adult who knows what he's doing with his life.

I pace the doors of Chiron's office for the next few minutes until he finally calls me in.

He starts right away, not wasting time on pleasantries. "What do you want to do with your life, Percy?"

"I don't know, live it?"

"Anything specific? Do you want to go to university? Do you want a specific job?"

The rest of the session goes on like that, with him interrogating me about the future. My answers are vague and non passionate. I have never had to imagine a future before. Before I leave, Chiron hands over a sheet describing a list of questions I have to be ready to answer so that my interviewer, whoever he is, can determine my emotional and mental well being. It is the closest thing I've ever had to a test in years.

…

When I get back to my dorm I try to review the questions. Again and again I try to focus on the sheet in front of me to find that I can't. Eventually, I crumple it into a ball and throw it far away from me out of frustration. I am getting unreasonably angry at everything. At everyone.

When someone knocks at my door I am glad. I need a distraction from me _failing _at something that I'm actually _trying _to do.

When I open the door, I am surprised to see Annabeth - for the second time that day. Instead of dragging her into the rec room again, I drag her into mine. Her usually emotionless face shows surprise for a second, something that I later congratulate myself for.

"Good, you're here." I say, "I need your help with these stupid questions." I retrieve the crumpled paper from the floor and hand it to her. I sit down in front of my bed, leaning on the front of the bed frame. Annabeth follows my lead while opening up the paper.

"Oh. Do you need me to quiz you?" I shrug, unfamiliar with that word used as a verb.

"Okay!" She clears her throat.

"Annabeth, it was never that serious. Chill."

She laughs at me, "You're telling _me _to chill? Have you seen yourself? You're like the definition of unchill."

I only shrug, and gesture towards the paper. Annabeth rolls her eyes and starts again, clearing her throat for dramatic effect.

"Alright so…" She gives me a mockingly intense look. "If let out of this hospital, how do you want to contribute to the world?"

"What does that even mean?"

"You know, how do you want to leave your mark?" I only shrug in answer. "Seriously, you have no idea?"

"It's not really like I've ever thought of it!" I tell her, defensively.

"Okay...if you really have no idea." She says, "Say this: 'I, having known the struggles of being irregular or out of place in the world, want to help other children going through similar situations. I understand the lack of professionals who really know how it feels to have mental disabilities, and though I'm not saying I would become a sort of psychiatrist or therapist, I would want to volunteer to just have fun with them, and make them know someone out there cares.'"

"Woah." I am taken aback by her speech. "You're really good with those things."

"What things?"

"Words." I deadpan.

She nods quietly, not really sure how to take the compliment. "Next question is...how do you think this hospital helped you to gain your sanity?"

"Does it really say that?" I look confused at the piece of paper. It seems a little harsh to be written by medical professionals.

"No, it says _how do you think this hospital helped better you as an individual? In what ways did being here help you to cope with your illness? _But it really means the same thing."

"Yeah. I guess." I stare at her for a while, really noticing her, before asking, "Annabeth, do you like me?"

She laughs it off. "Holdup man, I'm the one asking the tough questions. I have the sheet of paper." She shakes the page around my face.

I grab the sheet of paper from her, and pretend to be reading through the list of questions. "Mhm, well, Miss Chase, it says right here '_do you like Percy Jackson?'_"

She shrugs. "Yeah, I guess."

"Oh." I didn't expect her to be so blunt. "Well, do you wanna kiss or something?"

"Is that one of the questions there?" When she sees my face she laughs. "Is that a good idea, with, like Grover?"

Instead of answering, I lean down to her height and peck her on the lips. She blinks back her surprise.

We look at each other for a full minute before she speaks.

"That...was nice." She whispers. I nod in agreement. "Maybe if we kiss hard enough we can rid ourselves of our illness."

"Maybe."

This time, she instigates the kiss. She grabs my neck and pulls herself forward, pressing her lips hard against mine. We breathe hard the next time we break apart.

"Did it work?" She asks me.

"I don't know...Grover hasn't really talked to me since this afternoon. My head's still feels messed up."

"Yeah, I don't think it worked for me either." She sighs, leaning against me.

"Well, it was worth a try."

We lay like that for a while silently, before Annabeth starts to nod off, and I offer to walk her to her dorm. She doesn't say anything, but she doesn't refuse - so we walk together.

"So...does that mean we're together or something?" I ask.

"I guess."

**_I know, I know. But guys, the transition from elementary school to secondary school is hard. Just last week, I had to write a 22 page paper on the components of a gaming computer. I'm really sorry, but, guess what? The story is continued...and the climax is almost here. I've decided to write one of the stories that I asked you about as an original, and not a fanfiction. Thank you so much for not leaving me, thank you so much for reviewing and following and everything and...see you next time!_**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Percy.**

The next day, solo therapy was different (instead of having it once a week, I was to have it every day until the interviewer arrives). Instead of Chiron, though, being in his office - there was Dionysus. He was a short, pudgy man who I believed had no business being in the psychology profession. He was brash, rude, loud, and...every other synonym.

He leered at me as I entered. "Pierce, come in. I will be the one conducting this session."

I didn't bother to correct him. "Is Chiron not here today?"

"Yes, he is here. He honestly _begged_ me to do this. Something about you needing a new perspective. I guess he was tired of listening to you whine all day about your imaginary friend or whatever."

"I don't whine." I glowered at him, already getting agitated. "Chiron wouldn't say that."

"Yes, yes, whatever." He didn't even bother to look up at me. He only rolled his eyes and scribbled something down onto a sheet of paper. "You're already getting angry, You'll be shit at this examination." He muttered, noticing how my hands had started to shake.

I try to calm down. "I...it's not my fault. Schizophrenia comes with unstable mood swings." I only know this because of Annabeth. "I also have ADHD, you know."

"Alright, blame your _illness." _He said the word with heavy sarcasm, as if he didn't really believe that I had one. It didn't serve to soothe me.

I forced my hands to stop shaking, and steady my breathing. It was remarkable how this man made me this angry, and I'd just walked in. "Are you going to insult me the whole session, or are we actually gonna do some therapy?"

"I believe we have already made progress, Patrick." He gave me a shark grin. "I got you to control your temper, didn't I?"

I reluctantly notice that my hands are still, and my gaze had softened. I'd gotten so used to Dionysus that I'd stopped caring about what he was saying.

"Wow, that's great, truly remarkable work. You should have your own show. _The Schizophrenia Whisperer." _

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Watch yourself, Peter. Your examination therapist won't like that snark."

I raise an eyebrow at him."Maybe they'll think I'm a normal kid, that defies authority and shit."

"Maybe, they'll think that you're a self-obsessed prick who thinks that the world owes him everything, just because he's been _diagnosed with something_." Dionysus' voice rises slightly as he speaks.

"Schizophrenia is a real illness! What, did you expect me to be batshit psycho? Did you want me to be a vegetable?" I protest.

"I want you to know what you're going to do with your life." He gave me a steady look. "You've never done anything at all _to better yourself. _All you do is leech off of other people AND-" He glares when he sees I'm about to interrupt. "AND- you act like there are extenuating circumstances that allow you to do whatever you want."

"My whole life is a _nightmare." _I counter, "I will never know what it means to be a stable person. It's like my mind is fighting with my will every single day. It's like there are a thousand little voices and I don't know which ones are fake and which are real. I don't know which to trust or believe and you're saying, _you're saying I've never sacrificed anything?"_

"There goes the temper."

"_Jesus Christ. _Are you even listening to me right now?" I ask, annoyed.

"Honestly, Johnson, I have no idea why I agreed to talk to you today. You're just another one of those spoilt brats that thinks life owes them just because they ended up here. None of you little shitheads know that you're here because we _are trying to help you. _You're father is paying _thousands_ for you to be here right now."

"Bullshit. I tried to kill the idiot." I snort.

"I am, of course, Peter, talking about the father you didn't attempt assassination on. Your real father. Someone had to pay for this treatment. This is not a run off the mill hospital. It's experimental, and costs money."

"I thought it was government run."

Dionysus gave me another look of contempt, or maybe that was just his face. "You teenagers. You always think you know everything. Surprise, surprise, Pablo - there are things your brain can't comprehend."

The anger drained from my system, leaving me defenseless. Mr. D (_I refused to believe his Phd was real and call him Dr.D) _ could think anything he wanted about me, as long as I could get out of here.

"Look," I start. "Aren't we supposed to be getting ready for the interview or whatever?"

"Yes, Janderson. _You _are supposed to be reviewing these pointless questions."

I resisted the urge to point out that Janderson was nowhere close to Jackson. "Well, aren't you going to help me?"

Mr. D sighed, as if that was the last thing he wanted to do. "Yes, Peep. I am required to go over these questions with you."

"Okay, now you're just making up bird noises."

"I've no idea what you're talking about, Chirp-"

"That one didn't even start with a P!"

"-no idea at all. Let's start with the first question."

…

By the end of the session, I felt, if not totally, I was adequately prepared for the interview. Mr. D's brash nature was able to reveal what Chiron, and even Annabeth, could not: that I wanted to be a marine biologist.

It's not as if I didn't want to tell them, but I felt like I would just fail at it anyways, and not wanting a profession was better than not achieving one. The job seemed so important, that, it made no sense that someone like me would be seen doing it. Mr. D though, he started hounding me so hard, about how lazy I am, and how I'd never have a future - that I felt that I had to tell him to prove a point. To prove that I am capable.

I guess, if someone else belittles you, you kinda have to come rescue for yourself. As opposed to you belittling yourself - then there's no one to rescue you.

I wouldn't call Mr. D a doctor, but he did help me figure out my life a little so...I respected him a little more.

…

**Annabeth.**

Today is a bad day. I was heavier than usual, and dragging myself to group therapy took strength. I do not feel like myself. I feel like a walking corpse. I feel hopeless.

At group therapy, I am a little more noticed. Piper pat the floor next to her, indicating for me to sit between her and Thalia. Rachel smiled at me. Leo called me a bitch. I did not smile back. I was tired.

Preparing has kept Percy away from group sessions, rendering me with no one that makes funny faces at me from across the room, trying to make me smile. Of course, I never did, but the effort was always appreciated.

He has not mentioned our kiss yet - we've played it off as a spur of the moment decision. But, though I can not _love _him, I like him. _Maybe I need him_. With him I am distracted from the depression that weighs me down every day - but I am not cured. A pretty face and a funny personality can not cure a lifelong mental illness. I am not happy more, but I am sad less (if that makes sense, but it doesn't).

After group therapy, as I was heading back to my room, I saw Chiron's office hanging open. I continued to walk until I heard his phone - and old landline on his desk- that started to play a voicemail out loud. The caller ID made me halt, and interested, I listened to the rest of the message.

_-call from Olympus Hospital to Chiron Brunner. We're calling to remind you that a representative from our staff is coming over tomorrow to assess your patients of eighteen years and older. We'd appreciate-_

"Annabeth?" Piper's voice called out to me from behind. "Why'd you stop walking?" She caught up to me and looked in the office quizzically as the message finished.

"Oh, I just heard someone calling and leaving a voicemail in Chiron's office." I said dismissively, hoping she wouldn't push.

"Voicemail? Who uses voicemail anymore?" Piper asked, as we started to walk down the hall again. "As a matter of fact, who even calls people anymore? Can't they just text Chiron?"

I shrugged and nodded where appropriate, relieved when Piper dropped the issue but not willing to listen to her rant.

"What are you doing right now? Are you going to the art room?"

I cringed at the thought of doing anything social. "I'm going to sleep."

"It's twelve in the afternoon, Annabeth." She replied, her mouth curling into a suspicious smile.

"And…?"

"And, so, I'm going to give you a makeover." Without me noticing, we had both ended up in front of her door.

"No thanks." I turned away, but Piper's bony hands grab my wrist, her grip unbelievably strong for someone her size.

She opens the door and drags me in. My fight goes out of me as I see how many people are in the room - some of which I don't know.

"Is this an intervention? Did you set me up?"

"Well, look at you Annabeth - we had to. You're not even trying." Thalia says, from across the crowded room. Murmurs of agreement echo around the room, and Leo chimes in with an "_AMEN HONEY."_

Even though looking at myself (today I am wearing a giant black hoodie and grey sweatpants, which was an improvement from the usual pyjama pants - my hair hadn't been combed in days) I could see they were right, their disapproval disappointed me. This obviously _was _an intervention - even in a mental hospital I was the weird one. I am always the strange friend - which was why I stopped having friends.

A quiet voice spoke up from behind me, causing me to jump. "They aren't really serious, we do this for every new patient once we get to know them- it's kind of a ritual." Rachel explains, without looking at me. She had obviously seen my distress.

"Honey, get out of those hideous clothes." Hazel speaks up from the bed. Piper hands me a sundress, leggings, and heels and sends me into the closet to change. I start to dread this idea more and more, but I obey - not wanting to be a buzzkill.

Girls (and Leo, who's surprisingly good at eyeshadow) swarmed me from all over when I came out, oohing and aahing at how I looked. The only thing I could think was that I was cold without my sweater, but I let them have their way with me. For half an hour my hair was pulled and my face was powdered.

Though they tried to make small talk with me and introduce me to their friends of different groups, I was zoned out.

_THIS is going to go horribly and they'll all hate me and I probably look so ugly they're just being nice. What's wrong with me just enjoy it they're just being nice I'm so ungrateful. _

Finally, Piper dabbed my face with 'finishing touches', and a girl named Drew put a mirror up so I can see.

_They're only doing this because they pity you._

I started to cry. I did not know why I was crying but I was cold and uncomfortable and the girls, they thought I was weird. They did not like me now. I could feel the makeup dripping down my face along with my tears.

I had to get out. _I have to leave. _I did not run. I shuffled out slowly, trying to smile through my tears. Trying to greet them as I passed, still pretending nothing is wrong. Even as tears run down my face _I am still perfect. I am still striving for something that is not there._

_Help me._

I do not come out of my room, even to warn Percy about his interview. I do not come out until after the interview, when he needs me.

_**I'm sorry I didn't post. The truth is, I wrote this chapter and rewrote it a long time ago, and I hated the voice so much. I did my best to fix it but...definitely not my best.**_

_**Next chapters the climax though so yay!**_


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